The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story
by Quothed Nevermore
Summary: The adventures and mishaps of a young Kokiri girl, her Hylian friend Taabu, and a certain Hero of Time. When Ganondorf takes over Hyrule, everything goes wrong...
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

_**Part I**_  
Chapter One  


Ti'ana stretched and yawned as she gazed upon the large crowd in Hyrule Castle Town. She shifted around on the large crate she was seated on, fiddling with the emerald on her silver-chained necklace. 

'What's all the fuss about now?' she thought. She straitened out her green outfit and dug her hand deep into her pocket. She emerged with a small drawstring suede pouch.

_I wonder, how much do I have?_ She loosened the string on the bag and dumped out 8 different colored rupees onto her lap.

"Hmm..." She looked over them. "Two green rupees, three blue ones, two red and a purple one. How much is that?" She counted it up quickly. "One hundred seven rupees..."

Suddenly, Ti'ana looked back up at the crowd. A young boy was being forced out, and he landed hard on his back.

"Yeah, well... I wasn't gonna buy anything, anyway!" He huffed, stood up, and dusted himself off. Then he walked towards Ti'ana, muttering, "Stupid adults. Hmph!"

Ti'ana snickered. "Hey Taabu."

The boy looked up. "It's not funny 'Ana." He crosses his arms.

Ti'ana rolled her eyes. "Oh come on Taaby. You're too serious for your own good." She then motioned towards the crowd. "What's going on over there?"

"New potion shop," Taabu said. "Selling weird stuff, mostly fire, red potion, green potion, fairies, that sort of stuff. Very expensive, though." He sighed. "Hey 'Ana, what time is it?"

"Ummm..." She looked up at the position of the sun. "About... three o'clock, why?"

Taabu looked shocked. "Already?! Talon sent me out almost an hour ago then, I was supposed to buy feed for the horses!" He slapped his forehead and probed deep into his pocket. Emerging with nothing, he threw his head back and moaned. "Great!! Talon forgot to give me money for the feed." Quickly, he put on an innocent smile. "Ti'ana, how much you have?"

"One hundred and seven rupees," she said. Then she sighed. "How much do you need?"

"Uh.. how about 80, that's how much Talon was supposed to give me." Ti'ana gawked at him. "I'll pay you right back, I promise. As soon as I get to the ranch."

"Ugh, fine. I'll come with you." Ti'ana hopped off of the crate. They walked off in the direction of the barn store.

Taabu turned to Ti'ana. "Hey 'Ana, guess what? One of the mares had two fillies."

Ti'ana looked over at him. "Really? What're they're names?"

"Epona and Flicka," Taabu said. Then added quickly, "Malon named Epona... Talon named Flicka. They were born about two weeks ago."

Ti'ana huffed. She never much liked Malon, for reasons Taabu never understood. Girls were beyond his comprehension, and most of the time, he thought it best to ignore their "odd" ways.

"I'll go get the feed, you can stay outside. I know you don't like the smell in there."

Ti'ana nodded in agreement, even though she didn't really mind the strange scent of the barn store. Taabu stepped inside the shop.

Looking around, Ti'ana wondered how she and Taabu became friends in the first place. They had almost nothing in common. Ti'ana was Kokiri, and Taabu lived in Hyrule. They both liked different things, but one thing they both loved was animals. That's why Taabu took a job offer at Lon Lon Ranch (also because his parents forced him to).

Ti'ana was different from the other Kokiri. She didn't know why, but they all said she was diverse from the others. She was compared to one boy, Link, who was one of her closest friends. Unlike him, though, she always had a fairy, Nuli.

After about ten minutes, Taabu finally came out of the store with an angered look on his face, and a large bag of oats in his arms.

"I can't believe them!" he exclaimed. "They called me little. They weren't gonna sell this to me because they said I'd pull a muscle or something. And they laughed at me!"

Ti'ana sighed. "Taaby you make it seem like you've never been laughed at before, or called small." She smirked and poked him in the stomach.

Taabu huffed, held his stomach, but didn't respond. He started heading out of the town, dragging the back behind him and almost ignoring Ti'ana. She followed close behind.

***

They reached the ranch in about a half hour. They alternated who carried the feed every so often. The bag weighed more than 50 pounds, and even when they alternated they had to help the other carry it.

Most of their journey was done in silence. Every once in a while Taabu would complain about his back hurting, and how Talon wouldn't send Ingo out instead of him.

"Just 'cause Ingo's sick don't mean he can't go get the feed himself. I'm supposed to be feeding the horses an' cleaning them, not carrying a thousand pounds of their food!"

Then Ti'ana would tell him to shut up. After that, Nuli would usually chime in: "You're a boy, you're supposed to be able to carry the heavy bags and let the lady walk!"

After the second time Nuli said that, Taabu dropped the bag (on his own foot) and swatted at the annoying fairy.

Talon greeted the two at the entrance.

"It's about time, Taabu. I sent you out almost two hours ago." He crossed his arms.

"Sorry, Talon. You forgot to give me money, and I had to find Ti'ana to borrow some from." He glanced at Ti'ana with a "please don't tell him the truth" look.

Ti'ana glared and him, and then turned to Talon. "Yeah, Taabu was pretty intent on taking my money instead of going back to the ranch." Taabu shot her a nasty look, and Ti'ana just smirked.

Taabu leaned towards Ti'ana and whispered harshly into her ear, "Smooth 'Ana, really smooth."

Then he said to Talon, "Oh yea, you owe 'Ana 80 rupees."

Talon smiled. "Well hello Ti'ana. I haven't seen much of you around Lon Lon for a long time." He dug into his overall pockets and emerged with three red rupees, and handed them to Ti'ana.

Ti'ana took the rupees and smiled. Even though she didn't like Malon, she always got along fine with her father. "How's Ingo?"

"He's fine. Just a touch of the flu, he'll get better soon."

A singsong voice called from the corral. "Daddy! Where are you?"

Talon turned around, then back to Ti'ana and Taabu. "Pardon me for a moment, Malon is calling."

Taabu still had the bag across his back. He threw it down. "Ti'ana, help me bring this to the stable?"

"Sure." Ti'ana took one end of the bag, and Taabu took the other. Together they hauled the large bag into the small stable.

Taabu told Ti'ana where to bring the bag to. She dropped her end of the bag, and closed and opened her fists. Then she shook them out. "That things heavy. I don't think I'll ever get the feeling back in my hands."

Taabu dragged the bag to the back of the stable. He opened it up and grabbed a bucket near him. "Hey 'Ana, can you get me that scoop-thing over there?" He pointed to what he was talking about.

Ti'ana picked it up and brought it over to Taabu. "This?"

He took it. "Yea." He dipped the scoop into the bag and dumped the contents into the bucket. "Can you help me with my work?"

Ti'ana nodded. "Good," Taabu said. "Take this bucket and put the feed in that trough." He motioned towards the nearest stall.

Ti'ana did as she was asked as Taabu went to get another bucket. He filled that one up with water from a water pump. Along the back of all the stalls was a separate trough, in which he dumped the water.

Ti'ana finished before Taabu did. As he continued to work, she sat on an upside-down bucket and took out her ocarina. She played a simple 16-note tune her friend, Saria, had taught her. The song could be heard throughout the Lost Woods, one of Ti'ana's favorite getaway places. When she finished, she played another song, one she came up with, but it sounded very familiar, like someone had taught it to her years ago. 

Taabu turned around and watched Ti'ana play. He always admired her, the way she put up with the taunting of the other Kokiri, the way she played her ocarina; everything. In a sense he liked her, but never said anything for fear of losing her friendship.

Malon stepped into the stable, snapping Taabu out of his trance.

"Why, hello Taabu!" She said enthusiastically, entwining her fingers in her red hair. "How are you?"

"Fine," he mumbled.

"Oh and Ti'ana, how art thou? We haven't seen much of you around the ranch lately.

Ti'ana scowled. "Yes, well, I've been rather busy elsewhere, so side trips to the ranch are out of the question." Even she didn't like the way that sentence came out.

Malon knew Ti'ana didn't like her, the reality of it was Malon didn't like Ti'ana either. She liked Taabu, and she knew he liked Ti'ana. Ti'ana knew Malon liked Taabu, which was why they never got along.

Ti'ana stood up and put her ocarina in her bag. "I'd better go, Taabu. Nice seeing you again, Malon."

"Oh, leaving so soon, Ti'ana? Wouldn't you like to see the new horses?"

Sighing, Ti'ana reluctantly said, "Okay." If there was one thing Ti'ana loved, it was horses, even if they were Malon's.

Malon led Ti'ana to the middle of the corral, where two little horses were chasing each other around. They looked very much alike, except one of them had a marking on her neck that looked like the sacred Triforce, and on her flank what looked like a paw mark, similar to the symbol which each of the Gorons bore.

Malon walked over to the one without the symbol. "This is Epona, my favorite horse in the whole wide world!" She patted the horse on the neck. She then walked over to the other horse. "And this is Flicka, my other favorite horse in the world!"

Flicka seemed too busy looking Ti'ana over to be bothered with Malon. She rubbed her nose against Ti'ana's bag, and knocked out her ocarina.

Ti'ana giggled. "You want me to play for you?" The horse whinnied, which Ti'ana took as a yes. She then began playing the mysterious melody she had played before in the stables. This song seemed to make Flicka energized, because she began running around the corral, and then back to Ti'ana. She pushed her with her nose and whinnied.

Malon looked shocked. "Wow I've never seen Flicka act like that! What a weird song, where'd you learn it from."

"I didn't," Ti'ana said in a-matter-of-fact kind of tone. "Well, if I did learn it somewhere, I certainly don't remember."

"Why don't you try playing Epona's Song? It's a piece my mother compose." Then Malon began singing the tune. Ti'ana almost covered her ears, not liking Malon's annoying singing voice.

Then she brought her blue ocarina to her mouth and played the song Malon had just sung, though it sounded much better on the ocarina. This gave Epona the same effect it had on Flicka. 

Malon gave Ti'ana a puzzled look. "Maybe that mysterious song you played before should be called 'Flicka's song', since it seems to make Flicka act the same way Epona does when I sing my mothers song."

"Maybe," Ti'ana said. "Well, I'm going to go say 'bye to Taabu now, I have to go. G'bye Malon." She then started to head back to the stables, but just before she left the corral, Malon called her back.

"Look, Ti'ana," she said. "I know you don't like me and all (Ti'ana nodded), but we could at least try to be friends, couldn't we? I mean, I know the only reason you refuse to befriend me is because you like Taabu and he likes me."

Ti'ana whirled around. "That's not the reason I don't like you, the reason I don't like you is because you expect the world to give you what you want! You want a knight to come riding into this corral and sweep you off your feet, when you know as well as I do that will never happen!"

Malon gasped. "How did you know that?"

Smirking, Ti'ana answered, "The gossip stones tell all, m'dear. And you can have Taabu! We're... just... friends!" Ti'ana could barely get the last part out before she left the corral, passing Taabu, who had finished his work in the stable, on her way.

Malon rolled her eyes, then smiled at Taabu, who gave her a puzzled look. 

"What happened here?"

"We had a little argument, that's all..." Malon thought for a moment, then added, "About you."

"Me?" Taabu pointed to himself.

"Yes, Ti'ana was saying...., um, how she didn't want to be your friend anymore, and I was standing up for you." She nodded. "That's what happened. And Ti'ana said, 'You can keep him I don't like him anyway!' and then stormed off like that."

Taabu looked dismayed. Was Malon telling the truth?

"Y-you're lying Malon. Ti'ana's my best friend, she wouldn't say something like that." Not wanting to hear anymore, Taabu turned away and ran all the way back to Hyrule Castle Town.


	2. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
_ _ _ _ _by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Two  


Ti'ana reached the Kokiri forest in only ten minutes, which was odd because usually it took her nearly a half hour. By that time the sky was turning a light yellow.

As she approached the opening that led to the forest, she spotted a large owl. He was facing the entrance to the forest, so he hadn't seen her yet.

Ti'ana coughed, and the owl turned his head around. "Are you the legendary Kaepora Gaebora?"

"That I am," the owl responded with a hoot.

Ti'ana smiled. She had heard a lot about the large owl Kaepora Gaebora, but had never actually seen him. "I talked with a few gossip stones, they claim that you are a reincarnation of an ancient sage."

The owl seemed to smile, but said nothing.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you, Kaepora Gaebora, I'm..."

"Ti'ana, yes I know you well."

Ti'ana arched a brow. "You do?"

The owl simply turned his head upside-down.

"But how? I've never met you before."

The owl never answered her question. For after Ti'ana asked him how he knew her, he simply flew away, towards Hyrule Castle. Ti'ana wanted answers, and she ran after him.

***

When Taabu finally reached the entrance of Hyrule Castle Town, the sun was already starting to set. He was out of breath and all he wanted now was to rest. As he began to step on the drawbridge, a coyote howled in the distance, and the bridge began to rise, knocking Taabu backwards.

He tried to jump up to reach the end of the drawbridge, with no such luck. Instead, he missed and fell into the moat around the town, becoming completely drenched.

"Great! Just great!" He shouted. "Wait! Come back down!"

He looked around. The drawbridge was now all the way up, and there was no way he could get into the town until morning.

"Mom's gonna kill me!" He paused. "Unless dad kills me first!!"

He walked around the entrance to the town a few times, trying to figure out how to get in. There was no other way besides the drawbridge.

"Now what am I going to do?!" Taabu cried in despair. "Things can't get any worse!" As soon as he said that, lightening streaked across the sky, thunder boomed, and rain came down in sheets within seconds.

He threw his hands up in the air. "I just HAD to say something, didn't I?!?!"

He heard footsteps behind him. Startled he turned around, and found himself face-to-face with a dark figure. He couldn't see who it was, and that made him frightened.

The figure spoke. "Taabu? What're you doing out this late?" The voice was very familiar.

"Ti'ana, is that you?"

The shadowy figure nodded, and stepped into the light of the torches outside the castle drawbridge. "Yeah it's me. Why aren't you in the town? You'll never get in now until morning!"

Taabu groaned. "Yeah I know... Hey why aren't you in the forest?"

"I was chasing that really big owl, Kaepora Gaebora. I was trying to ask him something, but he flew away, and I couldn't keep up."

"Oh," Taabu replied. He looked down at his feet.

Ti'ana sensed something was wrong, so she asked him about it.

Taabu sighed and looked up. His ear-length dark brown hair hung over his face, dripping with water. "Malon said that you didn't want to be my friend anymore... That you two were fighting about me..."

Ti'ana's half-smile turned into a furious scowl. "And you believed her?! Taabu, we've been friends forever, you can't listen to Malon!!"

Taabu looked up and smiled. Even though Ti'ana appeared angry, she wasn't really.

Suddenly, Ti'ana broke out into uncontrollable laughter. Her stern looks never lasted long. Taabu soon followed, and in no time both of them were rolling on the damp floor, laughing. Ti'ana was on the stone floor where the drawbridge came down.

Taabu's eyes were tearing by the time he had stopped laughing to catch his breath. "So, what am I going to do until morning?"

Ti'ana was panting for air. "I dunno.. I guess you could stay in the forest with me.. Or you can just wait out here for a Stalchild to come and whack you upside the head!"

Taabu jumped up. He pointed towards the Kokiri Forest and shouted, "Onward!" Then he ran as fast as he could from the drawbridge.

Ti'ana smiled and went after him. She wondered if she should tell him he had a huge mud stain on the back of his white shirt.

***

Malon couldn't sleep. She felt completely awful about what she had done to Ti'ana and Taabu. They had been friends much longer than she had been with Taabu.

She sat up on her bed. She reached over to flick on a light, but the sound of her father's snoring made her think otherwise. 

"Don't want to wake him up," Malon thought to herself.

She jumped quietly out of her bed and opened the bedroom door. She walked down the stairs, almost stepping on one of the cuckoos.

Malon stepped out of the house and walked over to the stables. She saw Ingo fixing a stool out in the corral, so she knew the stables were empty.

Inside, she walked quickly over to the foals. She patted Epona in between her ears. "Hello, Epona." Epona whinnied happily. 

Then she looked to Flicka, and an idea began to form as she remembered when Ti'ana was at Lon Lon Ranch earlier...


	3. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter One  


Out in the distance, a cuckoo crowed. A single beam of light found its way into Ti'ana's house. 

Taabu sat up and stretched. He couldn't understand how Ti'ana slept on this thing every night.

"Speaking of Ti'ana.." Taabu mumbled, still half-asleep. He couldn't remember where she was. "Oh yea," he said. "Saria's house." He wondered if they were up yet. Knowing Ti'ana, she had probably been awake hours before the sun rose. 

As Taabu stepped out of Ti'ana's house, which was built in a tree (unlike Link's, which had been fashioned in the trunk), he found out he was right. Ti'ana was up. He could see her on Saria's roof, and Nuli flitting around her head.

He couldn't clearly see her, since a light fog had settled on the forest because of the storm the night before. He heard her ocarina playing, the mysterious song she had played at Lon Lon Ranch the day before.

Taabu climbed the ladder down the tree and ran over to Saria's house. He went around the left side and followed the path up to the roof. Ti'ana still hadn't seen him, but Nuli had, and she was already flying over to him. He tried to shoo her away, but Nuli just continued to flutter around his head.

Just as she was about to warn Ti'ana, Taabu grabbed the fairy loosely in his hand and put her in his pocket.

Taabu reached the roof and climbed up. He stood behind Ti'ana and held his hands over her shoulders. Just as he was about to scare her, she turned around quickly and shouted, "BOO!" Shocking Taabu, he fell backwards, and landed hard on his back.

Ti'ana snickered. "That's what you get for trying to frighten me."

Taabu seemed to growl as he stood. "It's not fair! I never get a chance to scare you." He crossed his arms. "Sheesh."

Ti'ana stood. "So, what do you wanna do today?"

Taabu frowned. "Can't do anything. Gotta work today."

"Oh." 

"Come with me? I don't feel like facing Malon alone today."

Ti'ana smirked, glad to see that she didn't feel the same way about Malon as she did for him. "Sure."

They climbed down the roof onto the path that led to ground level. Mido was standing there, yelling at one of the Kokiri for not working on Saria's yard.

"I am the boss of all the Kokiri, and when I ask for a minor favor, just pulling up a few weeds, I expect it to be done!" He was red in the face as he continued to shout at the poor fellow, who was named Remi. Blonde bangs covered his eyes. He was quite a short guy, even next to Mido (mostly because he lowered himself, so the spit that was coming out of Mido's screaming mouth would go over his head).

"I'm sorry, Mido!" he said in defense. "It is only seven o'clock in the morning as it is! I just got up less than a half hour ago!!"

Mido was about to say something, which would have probably been very vulgar if not he had seen Taabu.

"Ti'ana! What have I told you about bringing Hylians into the forest! It is not their place to be among the Kokiri!"

"Geez, Mido, calm down. Taaby's just as Kokiri as we are... except for that fact that both of his parents are Hylians, and he was born in Kakariko Village, and..."

A small Kokiri girl poked her head around the side of Saria's house. It was the girl that usually stood on the raised spot at the end of the bridge that protruded from Saria's house. "Hi, Mido!"

Mido looked up. "Uh.. Hi Fado." He coughed. "Now, get back to work, Remi! Don't make me have to leave my post again!" Mido stormed off. He didn't want to drag the argument out any further, knowing that he probably would have lost in the end, anyway.

Fado sighed, smiling and holding her hands clasped together under her chin. "He's sooo dreamy!" Her eyes became wide as she watched Mido go back to the entrance of Deku Tree's valley. "Isn't he, Ti'ana?"

Ti'ana snickered. "Yeah, Fado, he's the cutest thing in all of Hyrule." Fado, though, wasn't paying much attention.

Taabu grinned at Ti'ana. "How do you put up with him, anyway?"

Ti'ana just smiled. "Let's go." She pulled Taabu over to the exit of the Kokiri Forest, when the guard, Tido, stopped her.

"No Kokiri shall leave this forest, 'Ana. You know the rules."

"Yeah, but I always leave the forest... You know that. And I haven't disintegrated yet." She lifted her arms up at her sides and lowered them. "See?"

Tido shook his head. "Not any more, kid. Your friend can leave on his own."

Ti'ana frowned, and walked away. Taabu shrugged and followed her.

"Where are you going?" He asked, catching up to her.

"To the Lost Woods."

"Why?"

"You'll see."

They walked on to the wall and climbed up the roots and vines attached to it. They entered the forest, after Ti'ana kicked the gossip stone for fun. Taabu took out a slingshot and shot it with a deku nut.

They traveled through the forest a bit.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Taabu inquired.

Ti'ana scratched her chin. "Well, how do you want to get out? Through Goron City or Zora's Domain?"

Taabu thought a bit. "How about Zora's Domain? I'd like to go for a swim!"

They walked to the small pond where the entrance to Zora's Domain was.

"Ready?" Ti'ana asked?

"Ready!" Taabu cannon-balled straight into the water, with Ti'ana right behind him. Diving down to the bottom, they made their way to the small entrance that led to Zora's River, which led to Zora's Domain.

Ti'ana reached the river first. She held her head above the water, gasping for air. Taabu followed.

"Now what?" asked Taabu.

"Hang out with Ruto for a while?" Ti'ana requested. "Sure," Taabu said. The two pulled themselves from the small pool of water. Ti'ana stepped over to the small plate that was imbedded in the ground before the great deluge. She pulled her ocarina from her bag, and put the mouthpiece to her lips. She began to play Zelda's Lullaby, a song that Zelda herself had taught Ti'ana. 

The waterfall instantly began to slow down to almost a trickle of water.

"Follow me," Ti'ana ordered. She jumped into a small cavity in the wall over which the waterfall fell over. Taabu was next, and almost tripped as he jumped through the dripping water.

"Oof!" he exclaimed. "Isn't there another way to get into the Domain without having to break out necks?"

'Ana shook her head, and walked through the passageway leading to Zora's Domain.


	4. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Four  


The two made their way into the city of water. Ti'ana waved to a few of the highly-evolved fish, the Zoras, as she and Taabu climbed the ramp which led to King Zora's chambers. Ruto, of course would be there as well, right beside her father.

Surprised were the two when they saw the king sitting alone. His enormous head was hung, and was shaking from side to side.

Ti'ana hopped up on the platform; the place where those respectful people stood to hear the king's royal proclamations.

"What is wrong, your majesty?" Ti'ana inquired.

"Oh, my Princess Ruto is missing!" he exclaimed.

_Again?_ Ti'ana thought. She shook her head. "Oh my, that's terrible!" She looked around and found Taabu was not behind her. 

"AAAHHHHHHH!!" Ti'ana heard. She frowned. Taabu had got caught in the current and was pulled off the waterfall down below.

"Yes," the king sighed. "I have sent a young boy by the name of Link out after her in Lord Jabu Jabu's belly. Almost a half a day ago. I do not know what is taking him so long!"

Ti'ana nodded. She knew Link wasn't at the Kokiri Forest; he had gone on his "great quest" to save Hyrule. "Taabu and I will go see what's up." Just as she said that, a sopping wet Taabu stepped up next to Ti'ana, who frowned at him.

"Will you?!" The king almost seemed to smile. "Thank you, my 'Ana. And you too, Taabu." He didn't sound to thrilled when he spoke of the drenched boy. The king began to move to his right, taking his merry time while doing so.

After about five minutes, the king had finally moved so that the entrance to Zora's Fountain which would lead to Lord Jabu Jabu was clear. Taabu had started to fall asleep on his feet. Ti'ana whacked him across his head, and he instantly woke up.

Ti'ana bowed. "We will be back as soon as we can, King Zora." Having said that, the two hurried to Zora's Fountain.

***

The sun had already began to set as Ti'ana and Taabu reached Lord Jabu Jabu. To their surprise, Link was standing right before the large fish! Navi was bouncing around him. Ti'ana ran to him.

"Link!" He turned around and smiled.

"Oh, hey Ti'ana!" 

Ti'ana walked over to him. "Hey, what's up?"

Link's smile turned to a frown. "I can't get inside this big, dumb fish's mouth! He won't open up!"

Ti'ana snickered, and Taabu scowled. He didn't like seeing Ti'ana talking with other boys; it made him very jealous.

"Haven't you talked with any Zoras, Link? You're supposed to offer Lord Jabu Jabu a fish!"

Link scratched his head. "Oh. A fish?"

Ti'ana nodded. "Yup. Check your inventory. I'm sure you have one somewhere. They sell them at the Zora's store.. for 200 rupees. However, right outside the store in the water there is always a school of fish. You can..."

"Got one!" Link said as he raised his head from his collection of bottles. "Right here." He opened the bottle.

"Link, wait until we're go..." Ti'ana never finished. Link had already dropped the fish in front of the large fish. He opened his large mouth and sucked the fish in, along with Ti'ana and Link. Immediately, he closed his mouth, just as Taabu was about to enter. He smashed into the large Jabu Jabu's head.

"Let me in!" he cried and hit the fish as hard as he could. It opened its mouth in pain and Taabu fell in as well.


	5. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Five  


"Great! Just great!" Ti'ana mumbled. "Now what? We can't get out!!"

Link shrugged. "You guys wait here. I'm gonna go find that Zora princess and come back here when I've got the Zora's Sapphire. At least.. I hope that's what I get!"

"Good luck, Link!" Ti'ana said.

"Let's go, Link!" Navi ordered. With that, the young boy in the green Kokiri tunic took off.

Taabu frowned. "What are we supposed to do now?"

The young girl beside him shrugged. "I.. I don't know. What if Link never finds a way out? What if Jabu Jabu decides to eat us? I'm scared!" Ti'ana almost started to cry, but being that she was not that type of sensitive person, she sobbed dryly.

"It'll be okay, 'Ana. I'm not gonna let any thing hurt you. I swear on my very own life." Taabu put his arm around Ti'ana, who threw her arms around his neck

***

Talon was furious. Taabu hadn't come to the ranch that day, and the sun had finally set. He concluded that Taabu's pay would be withheld for that day, and reduced for the next from 60 rupees to 40. It wasn't a lot, but he knew Taabu was only a kid, anyway.

Malon was also upset. Not because of Taabu, though. Because Ti'ana had not come that day, she could not give her the present. Malon sighed. She would have to wait until the next day, or deliver the gift herself. Then she realized that that was not a good idea, being that the present was her very own Flicka, and she should stay around her mother for a few more months.

Ingo was mad, though. Since Taabu had not shown up at Lon Lon Ranch, he had to do double the work he usually did. That Talon! If only he would do the work a ranch owner should, Ingo would not have to labor day in and day out, and wake up the next morning with no relief other than a terrible backache from the previous day's work. Grunting angrily as went to kick a cucco out of his way, he instead knocked over a bucket of water.

"Ah!" He screamed in frustration. "It's so tough being a working man!"

***

Hours had passed, and still there was no sign of Link. Ti'ana was terrified. What if Link had died, or was somewhere deep within the big fish gravely injured? She quickly shook the idea from her head. Link couldn't die!

Taabu still had his arm around Ti'ana. He was mad that Link had been so stupid as to not have warned them to move out of the way when he dropped the fish. Ti'ana was obviously frightened, and he didn't like seeing his friend like that.

He looked down at his friend. Ti'ana was beautiful, he had to admit. Long, flowing blonde hair down to her waist with two brown strands in the front. Emerald green eyes that always seemed to shine, even when Ti'ana was aghast or dismayed.

Ti'ana raised her eyes to Taabu's and smiled. He was pretty handsome, but at the meager age of 11, those feelings she had for him were written off as no more than a simple crush. If the two of them were ever parted, 'Ana knew she would never be happy again.

Suddenly, the gigantic mouth of Jabu Jabu opened, and there stood Link and Princess Ruto.

"Ti'ana!" Ruto shouted. 

"Hey, Ruto!" Ti'ana stood and ran over to her friend. They hugged each other quickly. "What happened to you? Your father said that you were swallowed by Jabu Jabu!"

The Zora Princess shook her large white-and-blue head. "You know I always go into the Lord's belly. He's been letting me in there..."

"Since you were a kid. Yes, I know." Ti'ana turned to Link. "Did you get your stone?"

Link nodded happily. "This is my third one. I'm going to the castle now to meet up with Zelda again." He looked up to Navi, his guardian fairy, who was the only light source besides the gradually rising moon. "That's where we're headed, right?"

Navi bounced up and down. "Yep!"

Nuli, whom up to this point had been sleeping in Ti'ana's pocket, shot out from underneath her tunic. "Hey Navi!"

The two fairies chatted in high-pitched voices which none of the four could interpret what they were saying.

"Well guys, my dad's waiting for me!" said Ruto. "Bye, Link! Bye, 'Ana." She turned to Taabu and smiled slyly. "Bye Taaby!" She blew him a kiss and disappeared from Zora's Fountain.

Taabu tilted his head and shrugged.

Link squeezed some water from his tunic. "I should head on out now, too. Got a princess waiting for me!"

Ti'ana nodded. "We'd better head on out as well." She turned to Taabu. "Wanna head to Hyrule Castle Town? We should get there by morning." The sky was completely dark now.

Taabu shrugged. "Sure. Let's go!" With that, the trio left Zora's Fountain, said good-by to Ruto and began their way to Hyrule Castle.


	6. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Six  


The sky around Hyrule Castle was dark and gray. It appeared that a storm was beginning to form, but it only seemed to be around the castle. The drawbridge was raised, meaning that Link or Ti'ana would have to play the Sun's Song to summon the morning light. Link took out his ocarina. Wrapped around it was a chain, and hanging from it was a golden coin.

Link took it off. "Hold this for a sec," Link said. He it to handed Ti'ana. Too keep it out of the way, she shoved it into her pocket. All of a sudden, just as Link placed his tan ocarina to his mouth, the drawbridge lowered. The three of them stood before the grand entrance. A white horse was galloping their way, and at a very fast pace. Ti'ana, Taabu and Link dodged to one side. The horse went by the three, and on the horse was Impa, survivor of the Sheikah, and holding onto her for dear life was none other than the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda, herself! She looked at Link with her clear blue eyes, and into the moat tossed an object that sunk straight to the bottom.

"Huh?" Taabu questioned. "Oh, no!" He whirled around. There he saw Ganondorf on a vicious-eyed black stallion, the evil King of the Gerudos.

"Drats! I lost them!" the king cursed his slow timing. He turned his gaze to Link. "Hey, you! Kid! Those people on the white horse that just passed, you must have seen them. Tell me which way did they go?"

Link said nothing.

Ganondorf laughed. "You cannot save them. Tell me where they went!"

Still, Link remained silent. He drew out his sword and shield.

"Do you know who you are going up against?" demanded the king of thieves. "I am Ganondorf! The King of the Gerudos!"

Ti'ana mumbled from behind, "Duh. The only male Gerudo in Hyrule." She hoped Ganondorf had not heard her, and to her fortune, he did not.

Ganondorf shot a large ball of yellow electricity at Link, which knocked him over with no trouble whatsoever. The young boy cried out in terror.

Taabu stepped up and tossed a rock at the dark man on the horse. "Hey, Ganondork!! Don't hurt my friend!"

Ganondorf whirled around on his horse. "WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!" He whistled loudly, and a Gerudo woman rode up next to him on a horse which resembled one of the Lon Lon breeds. Taabu grabbed on to Ti'ana's hand, who was obviously petrified for the second time that day.

"Yes my king?" The woman asked in a raspy voice. 

The Evil King pointed to Ti'ana. "Take her with you." He turned to Taabu. "This shall teach you to show some respect to your elders!"

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!" Ti'ana screamed. The woman jumped off of her horse and pried her away from Taabu, who held on with all his might. She threw Ti'ana onto the horse, even as she tried to get away. The woman overpowered her, and hopped up behind her. Realizing that she had no chance of escape, Ti'ana reached at her neck and pulled off her silver chain necklace with a green emerald attached by a gold clasp. She pulled her arm out and threw it to Taabu, who, at first, didn't notice it. At breakneck speed, the woman rode the horse in the direction of the Gerudo Valley.

"Ti'ana!!" Taabu ran after the horse. Ganondorf fired a ball of energy around Taabu, which held him in place.

"You shall never again see your friend! Now you will know how to address the Great King Ganondorf!!!" With that, he rode away after the Gerudo woman.

After a few minutes later, the force field which surrounded the young Taabu dissipated, and dropped him to the ground.

"I have to go after Ti'ana!"

"No!" Link said. "There's no way you'll ever get her back. The Gerudos... You don't know them.. They're horrible people, at least the few I know."

Taabu looked down and saw Ti'ana's necklace. He picked it up and clutched it in his hands tightly, on the verge of tears. "I want Ti'ana back! What am I going to do, Link? I mean.. I've liked.. I mean.. We've been friends forever! I can't just leave her to the thieves!"

Link placed a hand on Taabu's shoulder. "It's all right, Taaby. I know how you feel. Er... Ti'ana's all right. I mean, she's pretty and all, and she's really nice and well... She's the perfect girl. But, you're just going to have to come to terms with it, Taabu. It'll be morning soon. And then you can go home, and just... try to forget her. It's harsh, I know. But it'll be the best thing for you." He turned to the castle moat to retrieve the object Princess Zelda had tossed into the shallow water.

He knew deep down Link was right. It was harsh and terrible. But he also knew that, once someone was captured by the Gerudos, that person will never be seen again. They do not keep most of their captives in the Gerudo Valley itself. No one knew where they went.

The sun peeked over the horizon. A new day was beginning. Teary-eyed, the young Taabu went back home, trying not to cry over the loss of his friend. Despite Link's warning, once Taabu was older, he would go after Ti'ana, and get his revenge on the Gerudos. For now, all he could do was be grateful that Ti'ana was alive.


	7. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

_**Part Two: **__Seven Years Later.._  
Chapter Seven  


The sun was setting over the vast land of Hyrule. Usually, this would have been the most beautiful time of day. Rarely had there ever been cloudy days in Hyrule, but, in the past seven years, Hyrule had been transformed by the new rule of the evil king.

A young man sat on the roof of the stable. An arctic wind, which was blowing from Zora's Domain, as it had been for years, caused his short, brownish-blonde hair to blow into his eyes. As a child, his hair had been darker, but the years of laboring in the sun had lightened his dark tresses.

Below him, the Great Ingo was ordering Malon around, who had matured greatly in the past seven springs. Even he had to admit she was kind of pretty. Suddenly, Ingo shot his head up towards the boy.

"Taabu! Get down now and work! I will not have Ingo Ranch behind on its work because of a lazy boy!"

"Yes, sir!" Taabu stood up and walked to the edge of the roof, and shimmied down the drainpipe. He nodded a hello to Malon, who simply smiled back. Then he ran to complete his work in the stables.

From the corral, a loud whinnying could be heard, followed by another.

Ingo's face turned red. "Malon! Go shut that Epona up! While your at it, bring the wretched Flicka in, too." Malon quickly ran off and did what she was told.

She stepped up to the near identical horses. Flicka and Epona had both grown very much in seven short years. Flicka's Goron-like symbol was fading slightly, becoming more of a dark-brown color than black. Yet the white Triforce marking was as bright white as ever. Poor Flicka, she had seemed pretty depressed since the day Ti'ana left the ranch and did not come back. Taabu had told Malon the story of that day when the Evil King Ganondorf had his minion take Ti'ana away. The day was still etched clearly in Taabu's mind. Since then, he hadn't really, truly lived. 

Malon patted Epona's neck, then turned to Flicka. She went to pet her, and she whinnied and trotted away.

***

Taabu sat on an upside-down bucket in the stable. From inside the collar of his shirt, he pulled out the necklace Ti'ana had thrown to him before she was taken. He realized his time to rescue her was coming. If she was even alive, he did not know. He needed a sign to show that it was time for her salvage.

Taabu realized it was time for him to go home. He stood and walked from the stable. 

"Mr. Ingo?" He called. "It's time for me to go. I'll be here promptly at six o'clock tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow is Sunday!" Ingo yelled. "You have the day off, I see too much of you, as it is. Drop by at noon to make sure that the horses have food... Oh never mind, Malon will do it! Just get out of my ranch!"

Taabu did as he was told, and ran from the ranch.

Without realizing it, Taabu was heading to Hyrule Castle Town. He noticed this too late, he was already in the town. All around him, ReDeads stood in their zombie-like state.

"Uh oh..." Taabu muttered. "This can't be good."

One of the monsters turned to him.

'The ReDead's gaze will paralyze you, Taabu!' his mind screamed. 'Run, Taabu! Run!'

He couldn't move. It was too late. The ReDead sluggishly, almost lethargically walked to him, in what seemed like a mocking way.

'He can go as slow as he pleases!' Taabu thought. 'I can't move!' His eyes searched the town frantically, with no sign of help. 

'This is it, Taabu. This is your end.' He closed his eyes, being that all he could do.

Suddenly, he lurched forward, and hit the ground with such a force that the wind was knocked out of him momentarily. He raised his head off of the ground, expecting to see the dark, soulless eyes of the zombie creatures.

Where the ReDead should have been stood a young man, like himself, wearing a green tunic, in his hands, holding a long sword.

"Taabu?" he asked. "Is that you?"

Taabu pulled himself up. "Link! Where have you been for the past seven years? And... why are you um... big? I thought the Kokiri don't get older."

"Seven years? Wow, I thought Rauru was just kidding around with me." He scratched his head. "Actually, I have no idea why I'm grown up. I guess that I'm really Hylian, and not a Kokiri. Too bad the Deku Tree's dead. I could have asked him." Taabu almost laughed at the nonchalant way Link said that.

Link put his sword away, and Navi flew out from behind him. "Link, Rauru said we should check out the forest. I'm worried about Saria."

Nodding, Link took out his ocarina. "I'll talk with her now." He played Saria's Song, a simple melody that could be heard in the Lost Woods.

"Link? This is Saria. Can you hear me?" asked Saria's chirpy voice. "Great! You're okay. I'm in the Forest Temple. I could hear the voices of the spirits calling me. But there are monsters everywhere in here. Hurry to the Forest Temple, Link!"

Link frowned. "Sheik said I can't get into the temple without a certain item. I have to go to Kakariko Village in the Graveyard.... what would be there?"

Taabu scratched his chin. "Well, I live in Kakariko now with my mom. I hear that the ghost of the grave keeper, Dampé, has a treasure that he is willing to give to the one who beats him in a race. Why don't you try that? His grave is on the left after you walk in. It has flowers in front of it."

"Great. Thanks Taabu... Um.. Have you seen Ti'ana at all since... then?"

Taabu lowered his eyes. "No. I tried to get into the Gerudo Fortress, but the bridge is broken. Not only that, when I finally DID get in, I was caught and thrown out. Then I tried again, and they locked me in a cell. I fell asleep, and woke up in Hyrule Field... No Ti'ana, though. When the bridge is fixed, I'm going back and getting her!"

"It's too bad, though," Link sighed. "Ti'ana is Kokiri, so she'll be a child forever. I don't know, though. The Kokiri who leave the forest are supposed to die or something. She left the forest a lot. Maybe she isn't Kokiri after all?"

"Whether or not Ti'ana is still a child, she will always be my best friend. I mean, it's not like I want to *marry* her or anything.."

Smirking, Link pulled out a green bottle. "Right, Taaby." He drank some of the potion and threw the thin bottle on the ground. "Look at this place. Ganondork really messed it up."

Taabu looked to the rubble that was once his house. "Yeah, I know. A lot of people died in the past seven years. Some people tried to stay in Hyrule castle town, but.. the ReDeads got to them."

"I have to head to Kakariko." Link straightened his tunic. "Come with me, and fill me in on all that's happened in the last few years. Hook up with Malon yet?"

Taabu forced a smile on his face, but the insincerity of it showed Link that there was only one person who could ever take a place in his heart. And it certainly wouldn't be Malon.


	8. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Eight  


"Wow" was all Link could say as he entered Kakariko with Taabu.

Taabu nodded, understanding what he meant. In seven short years, the small Kakariko Village had turned into a large town like Hyrule. Everyone who lived in Hyrule Castle town... who survived, now lived in Kakariko.

They walked through the village and ran across Taabu's mother, who, when they lived in Hyrule Town, usually chatted with the old man in the blue cloak. "Hello, mother."

She looked up from her sewing machine, which she had set outside of her home. "Why, hello Taabu!" She turned to Link. "And who is your friend?"

"Why, mother, this is Link. I don't believe you would know him, we were friends long ago before.."

His mother cut him off. "Before the wretched King took over! I would love nothing more than to see his head on the end of the legendary Master Sword!"

Link turned red. "Hehe.. Don't worry, ma'am. It will be shortly." He patted the sacred sword and put it away.

"Well, Link, you know where the graveyard it," Taabu said, turning to him. "Find the grave, and if you have trouble, I live right over there." He pointed to the house behind his mother. "If I'm not there... Well... I dunno." He shrugged. "Good luck, Link."

Link nodded. "Thanks. G'bye Taabu... Taabu's mother." He blushed again, not knowing what to address her as. "Gotta find the hookshot. Better hurry up so I can get to Lon Lon afterwards to see what's going on there!" He quickly walked away with that said.

"What a strange boy. Those odd clothes." Taabu's mother shook her head and went back to her sewing beneath the light of the setting sun.


	9. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Ten  


The steady beat of horses hoofs against the hard ground echoed throughout Gerudo Valley. A hazelnut mare and its rider galloped into the valley. The horse slowed down as it reached the cliff about 100 feet above a small river leading to Lake Hylia. It stopped short, rearing back, knocking the rider off.

He landed to the ground with a thud. "Epona!" Link jumped up and brushed himself off. He stepped up to the broken bridge. 

"Great, now what?" He mounted Epona again and backed her up a few steps. Suddenly, the horse shot forward and jumped the large gap high above the water. She landed gracefully on the opposite side, and slowed down.

"Wow!" Link exclaimed. "Go, Epona!" He looked around. In front of him was a large white tent; in front of it the boss from Kakariko Village seven years ago.

Link didn't bother to talk to him yet. He had another mission that was more important now. He had to get to the Spirit Temple as soon as he could. There he would find, he was told, Nabooru. He guessed she was the sixth sage, since he didn't know anyone from the Gerudo Valley.

Galloping at top speed, Link rode Epona into the Thieves' hideout. Someone cried out at him, "Halt! Stay where you are!!" He listened, not knowing what was going on. A Gerudo woman in purple ran towards him with her long stave.

"AH!" Link tried to ride away, but the woman caught him. 

"It's the jail cell for you! Prisoner guard, come toss this MAN into the cell!"

"Coming!" A light voice called from high above. A woman wearing pink, blue and purple Gerudo dress jumped down from a ledge just above Link and the Gerudo guard. her long blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail. On her face, covering all beneath the bridge of her nose was a dusty violet veil. All that could be seen were her malachite-green eyes, which glistened in the sunlight with a sense of familiarity.

"I'll take him to his cell," she muttered, looking Link over. "Come with me." She grabbed his arm and yanked him along through the thieves hideout.

"Can you loosen your grip just a little?" Link asked. 

The girl laughed. "And give you the chance to get away? I don't think so, Link."

Link's eyes darted up. "How'd you know my name?"

The Gerudo didn't answer.

The reached the hole in the floor which led to the jail cell below. She appeared as if she was going to push him in, but instead she pulled him away.

"Listen!" she rasped. "There's a window near the top of the cell. If you hookshot up to it, you can get out! Just be careful, we have guards all over the valley. If you shoot them with an arrow, you'll knock them out unconscious. Just be careful, still, because the guards in white are protected from arrows, or any kind of harm for that manner. There are four carpenters locked up in the fortress. Fight a Gerudo woman and she will drop the key to free him. When you have all four freed, just wait by the last cell... You'll see why."

Link wondered why this woman was helping him. "Who are you?"

Again, the woman didn't answer. She simply looked down into the hole. She definitely looked familiar, that was for sure.

Link noticed something. Around her neck she wore a chain. He couldn't see what was hanging from it. A charm of some sort. She pulled it from her shirt. The "charm" was actually a coin with a hole in the center. Link had one just like that just about seven years ago.

Navi shot out from behind Link. She went up to his ear and whispered, "Link, we know her! That's your chain! Don't you remember? When Ganondorf came and took your friend away, just before that, you handed her your chain. That means..."

"Ti'ana?" asked Link.

A small fairy darted from the Gerudo's tunic. Startled, Link slipped fell down into the dark cell. "There!" called the girl. "Now, stay in there!"

'That was Ti'ana,' Link thought. 'Soon as I get out of here, I'm going to have to find Taabu.'

***

Link had her figured out. Ti'ana knew that soon Taabu would be coming to the Gerudo Valley to take her away, something she had dreamed of for all of her years in the thieves hideout.

She fiddled with her goblet and slammed it down on the table in front of her. Nikita, who was preparing to leave, jumped at the bang.

"Good gracious, 'Ana, what's with the banging?!"

Ti'ana almost shrunk back from the woman's voice. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Nikita shook her head. "Children," she sighed. "I remember the day you came to us, Ti'ana. They day you were named...."

"Don't say it!" Ti'ana ordered. Her voice softened, but maintained its firmness. "I'm trying to forget."

Nikita nodded. "As you wish, ma'am. Do you want anything while I'm out?"

Ti'ana nodded. "I threw a young man in the cell. Release him if he hasn't already escaped. But do not mention it to any of the other Gerudos. He means no harm to us."

So Nikita left for the cell. When she got there, he was already gone. Link was already on his way to find Taabu. Seeing that the prisoner had left, she shrugged and left to check on the carpenters who were locked up in the cells inside of the fortress. 

Ti'ana sighed as she left for the horseback archery range. The young gelding standing by a woman in white reminded Ti'ana of a male Flicka and Epona. The woman standing there nodded a hello.

"We need more horses," Ti'ana said firmly. "I want four women to come with me, two on horseback. We shall leave tonight for Lon Lon Ranch, precisely at sundown. There is a mare there I intend on taking. She is mine already. I want her back." The slight smirk Ti'ana made gave the woman the impression she was speaking figuratively.

"My, Lady Ti'ana, I'm impressed. You've finally taken onto our customs of stealing, giving orders now like Nabooru once did. Ah, it will be good being led by you rather than having you follow along. You're an intelligent lass."

Nodding, Ti'ana stepped over. "Do not forget to tell everyone for me. I do not wish to give the order myself right now. I'm tired and need sleep for our night excursion."

The woman bowed. "As you wish."


	10. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Ten  


The steady beat of horses hoofs against the hard ground echoed throughout Gerudo Valley. A hazelnut mare and its rider galloped into the valley. The horse slowed down as it reached the cliff about 100 feet above a small river leading to Lake Hylia. It stopped short, rearing back, knocking the rider off.

He landed to the ground with a thud. "Epona!" Link jumped up and brushed himself off. He stepped up to the broken bridge. 

"Great, now what?" He mounted Epona again and backed her up a few steps. Suddenly, the horse shot forward and jumped the large gap high above the water. She landed gracefully on the opposite side, and slowed down.

"Wow!" Link exclaimed. "Go, Epona!" He looked around. In front of him was a large white tent; in front of it the boss from Kakariko Village seven years ago.

Link didn't bother to talk to him yet. He had another mission that was more important now. He had to get to the Spirit Temple as soon as he could. There he would find, he was told, Nabooru. He guessed she was the sixth sage, since he didn't know anyone from the Gerudo Valley.

Galloping at top speed, Link rode Epona into the Thieves' hideout. Someone cried out at him, "Halt! Stay where you are!!" He listened, not knowing what was going on. A Gerudo woman in purple ran towards him with her long stave.

"AH!" Link tried to ride away, but the woman caught him. 

"It's the jail cell for you! Prisoner guard, come toss this MAN into the cell!"

"Coming!" A light voice called from high above. A woman wearing pink, blue and purple Gerudo dress jumped down from a ledge just above Link and the Gerudo guard. her long blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail. On her face, covering all beneath the bridge of her nose was a dusty violet veil. All that could be seen were her malachite-green eyes, which glistened in the sunlight with a sense of familiarity.

"I'll take him to his cell," she muttered, looking Link over. "Come with me." She grabbed his arm and yanked him along through the thieves hideout.

"Can you loosen your grip just a little?" Link asked. 

The girl laughed. "And give you the chance to get away? I don't think so, Link."

Link's eyes darted up. "How'd you know my name?"

The Gerudo didn't answer.

The reached the hole in the floor which led to the jail cell below. She appeared as if she was going to push him in, but instead she pulled him away.

"Listen!" she rasped. "There's a window near the top of the cell. If you hookshot up to it, you can get out! Just be careful, we have guards all over the valley. If you shoot them with an arrow, you'll knock them out unconscious. Just be careful, still, because the guards in white are protected from arrows, or any kind of harm for that manner. There are four carpenters locked up in the fortress. Fight a Gerudo woman and she will drop the key to free him. When you have all four freed, just wait by the last cell... You'll see why."

Link wondered why this woman was helping him. "Who are you?"

Again, the woman didn't answer. She simply looked down into the hole. She definitely looked familiar, that was for sure.

Link noticed something. Around her neck she wore a chain. He couldn't see what was hanging from it. A charm of some sort. She pulled it from her shirt. The "charm" was actually a coin with a hole in the center. Link had one just like that just about seven years ago.

Navi shot out from behind Link. She went up to his ear and whispered, "Link, we know her! That's your chain! Don't you remember? When Ganondorf came and took your friend away, just before that, you handed her your chain. That means..."

"Ti'ana?" asked Link.

A small fairy darted from the Gerudo's tunic. Startled, Link slipped fell down into the dark cell. "There!" called the girl. "Now, stay in there!"

'That was Ti'ana,' Link thought. 'Soon as I get out of here, I'm going to have to find Taabu.'

***

Link had her figured out. Ti'ana knew that soon Taabu would be coming to the Gerudo Valley to take her away, something she had dreamed of for all of her years in the thieves hideout.

She fiddled with her goblet and slammed it down on the table in front of her. Nikita, who was preparing to leave, jumped at the bang.

"Good gracious, 'Ana, what's with the banging?!"

Ti'ana almost shrunk back from the woman's voice. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Nikita shook her head. "Children," she sighed. "I remember the day you came to us, Ti'ana. They day you were named...."

"Don't say it!" Ti'ana ordered. Her voice softened, but maintained its firmness. "I'm trying to forget."

Nikita nodded. "As you wish, ma'am. Do you want anything while I'm out?"

Ti'ana nodded. "I threw a young man in the cell. Release him if he hasn't already escaped. But do not mention it to any of the other Gerudos. He means no harm to us."

So Nikita left for the cell. When she got there, he was already gone. Link was already on his way to find Taabu. Seeing that the prisoner had left, she shrugged and left to check on the carpenters who were locked up in the cells inside of the fortress. 

Ti'ana sighed as she left for the horseback archery range. The young gelding standing by a woman in white reminded Ti'ana of a male Flicka and Epona. The woman standing there nodded a hello.

"We need more horses," Ti'ana said firmly. "I want four women to come with me, two on horseback. We shall leave tonight for Lon Lon Ranch, precisely at sundown. There is a mare there I intend on taking. She is mine already. I want her back." The slight smirk Ti'ana made gave the woman the impression she was speaking figuratively.

"My, Lady Ti'ana, I'm impressed. You've finally taken onto our customs of stealing, giving orders now like Nabooru once did. Ah, it will be good being led by you rather than having you follow along. You're an intelligent lass."

Nodding, Ti'ana stepped over. "Do not forget to tell everyone for me. I do not wish to give the order myself right now. I'm tired and need sleep for our night excursion."

The woman bowed. "As you wish."


	11. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Eleven  


The moon rose high above the land of Hyrule. All were sleeping, all was silent and calm. A lone man sat in the middle of the dirt road. His name is unknown to many, though he responds to Jacques. He is known as the running man of Hyrule. On this particular night, Jacques had stopped to rest just before the entrance of Lon Lon Ranch. At this time, all was usually silent, so you could imagine his surprise when the sound of horse hoofs against the ground. He glanced about frantically, and saw a black stallion leading a band of four or five others on similar horses; they were all on a collision course with the running man.

Terrified for his life, Jacques ran back towards Gerudo Valley as quick as a jackrabbit.

The leader reared her horse back. She turned around to the others. "I will find the horse that I want." She jumped off of the horse and led it into Lon Lon Ranch by the reins. Suddenly she stopped.

"Do you hear that?" she rasped.

Nikita, one of the woman accompanying Ti'ana, listened closely. "Yes, Ti'ana! It is someone singing!"

Ti'ana knew very well who it was, and dropped the reins of her horse. "I want you all to head back to Gerudo Fortress."

One of the Gerudo's on horseback started, "But my lady..."

Ti'ana held her hand up. "Do not talk back to me! Do as I say!" At those words, the four other women headed back to their home.

Ti'ana listened more intently. The singing had stopped. Then started another song, one which was all too familiar to Ti'ana.

"Flicka," she whispered softly, her eyes filling with tears. She wiped at one of the tear drops which had rolled down her cheek. She wasn't crying because of the horse, but more because Malon was singing her song. She didn't hate Ti'ana after all!

Ti'ana drew in her breath sharply. Leaving her other horse standing by the stables, she quietly stepped towards the corral. She could clearly see the red hair of Malon, who was facing away from the entrance of the ranch. Flicka and Epona were chasing each other around the fence and quickly trotted back to Malon.

Breathing deeply in and out, she stepped behind her old rival. Making sure her veil covered much of her face, she tapped Malon gently on the shoulder.

The frightened girl whirled around with a loud yelp. "Who are you?" she cried.

Not saying a word, Ti'ana stepped up to Flicka and stroked her neck. She hugged the horse and patted in between its ears. She turned to Malon, who gasped.

"Ti'ana? Is that you?"

The girl in the Gerudo clothing nodded slowly. "'Tis I."

Malon cried out and hugged Ti'ana. "Where have you been! I've been waiting for seven whole years to say how sorry I was!"

Ti'ana hugged her back. "And I wanted to say sorry as well. I was an immature child, I admit." She let go of Ti'ana. "Have you seen Taabu lately? I miss him like crazy!"

Malon nodded slowly. "I saw him and Link together the other day. Boy, you should see how much Link has grown! He..."

"I know," Ti'ana cut in. "He found me at the Gerudo Fortress earlier today."

"Speaking of the Gerudo's, WHY are you wearing Gerudo clothing?"

Ti'ana sighed. "Well, I'm sure Taaby's told you about the day I was taken by Ganondorf's henchman.. Er.. henchwoman."

Malon shook her head. "I've been waiting for you to come! You must take Flicka with you! Ever since you've been gone, even now after seven years, she's been whinnying all the time. She won't obey anyone else but me." She paused. "That in itself is a rarity."

A loud cry was heard from the entrance of Lon Lon Ranch. "We've been seen! Back to the Fortress!!" Quickly following was the sound of four horses running at breakneck speed.

Ti'ana sighed. "They've taken two of your horses, Malon. I'm so sorry, I only came here for Flicka. I didn't think I'd see you out this late."

Malon smirked. "You know I've nothing better to do, and I never sleep at night. I'm always out here singing."

Sighing, Ti'ana took out her ocarina, the same one she had when she first met Flicka. The clay was rather scratched up, but the instrument itself was in good condition. Slowly, she began to play the melody she played years before. Flicka still had the same reaction as when she was a foal. Running around the ranch, then trotting back to Ti'ana and nudging her arm to play more.

"Gosh, Flicka really missed you, huh?"

Ti'ana shrugged. "I guess. Maybe it's just the song. I don't know. She's your horse, though."

Malon took hold of Flicka's reins, and took Ti'ana's hand. She pressed them against her palm. "Take her," she said softly. "Flicka belongs to you now."

Smiling, Ti'ana clutched the reins in her hands. "Thank you, Malon. Thank you so very much." She quickly embraced her friend. "I can't stay long, they're expecting me back at the fortress."

"Why don't you stay here for the night?" Malon simpered. "Taabu'll be coming in first thing tomorrow."

"Sounds good!" Ti'ana dropped Flicka's reins and scratched the mare behind her ear. "Such a good horse."

Chatting away and giggling, the two girls walked into Malon's small house where Ingo and Talon both slept soundly.

From behind the stables, a small gasp sounded. The Gerudo woman hiding in the darkness shook her head angrily. "I must tell Ganondorf!" Nikita mounted her horse and sped back to the Gerudo Fortress.


	12. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Twelve  


A ray of light peaked over Death Mountain and struck Nikita's face. She closed her eyes tightly, seeing only darkness for the past few hours. Her horse whinnied and started to buck from his master's hard tug on the reins when she went to cover her eyes.

Nikita feared for Ti'ana's life, but had to face the fact that her friend was a betrayer to her race. More so, her life was more at risk than Ti'ana's, for she was the one elected to speak to the Great Gerudo King. She had seen his temper's physical punishment on others before, and knew he would show no mercy to her.

Reluctantly, she walked into the Gerudo Fortress, leading her horse by the reins.

***

Ti'ana had slept the whole night at Lon Lon Ranch. Talon and Ingo had awaken a few hours before the sun had even considered rising. Horses were missing, as they usually were stolen this time of the year. Over the past seven years, ten good horses were filched. Mares, stallions, geldings, colts and fillies alike were the target for the thieves. They seemed to have no preference to age, gender or ability to bear progeny.

Malon handed 'Ana a glass of warm milk. "The cows this year have been producing wonderfully. Maybe it's a sign of things to come."

Nodding in between bites of buttery triangles of toast, Ti'ana reached for the milk. Nuli hovered above the glass and fluttered around the room. Since her stay in the Gerudo Valley with Ti'ana, she rarely got out.

Ti'ana swallowed the food in her mouth and agreed with Malon again. "Things have gotten pretty bad, yes. But as Link always used to tell me, they can only get better." Ti'ana reached up to the coin necklace around her neck and tugged at it.

"Speaking of old friends," Malon said softly, "Taabu is supposed to work today."

Ti'ana turned bright red. "I can't see him!" She cried out as she jumped from the table. "Not like this, not after so long! Look at me!" She motioned to her veil which was now around her arm, loose white pants and other Gerudo attire. "He'd never understand! I'm not a Hylian!"

"You will always be a Hylian!" Malon shouted over Ti'ana's complaining. "You two will see each other. You must speak with him! Ti'ana, you just can't understand how depressed he's been lately!"

A single silvery tear ran down Ti'ana's cheek. "You don't understand... I can't see him. Whatever we could have been just can't... Just can't be anymore."

Malon shook her head, confused. "Why?!" A moment of uneasiness followed.

"Why, what?"

"What do you mean 'why, what'?!" Malon shouted, vehemently annoyed. "Why I..." It took Malon a moment to realize the voice was not Ti'ana's. Cautiously she turned around.

A sandy brown-haired young man stood at the door. "Have I come at a bad time? I see you have company."

Malon beamed. "Taabu! No! This is.." She turned to face Ti'ana. Her Gerudo veil was already covering her face and Nuli was hidden safely under her garments. Apparently she had learned to react quickly under pressure. She could see her malachite eyes pleading to her in silence. "A friend," she finished. "She won't mind if you say." Ti'ana sighed, relieved.

Taabu arched a brow and whispered harshly in Malon's ear. "You invited a Gerudo to your home?"

Malon looked embarrassed, but knew she shouldn't have. Thinking quickly, Malon said, "She's not a Gerudo! That's the.. latest fashion in Hyrule, you know."

Shaking his head, he turned to the girl. 'Those eyes,' he thought. 'They're so familiar.'

"Taabu," Malon broke in. "Why don't you stay for breakfast? We have enough for a few people, since the cows have been producing a lot of milk recently."

Ti'ana shot a look at Malon, who simply grinned. Taabu quirked a brow and nodded. "Sure I'll stay. I'd like to get to know your friend here. What's her name?" He fiddled with a chain around his neck: silver with a bright green emerald attached by a gold clasp.

Ti'ana turned pale, but Malon's face remained unchanged, but understood Ti'ana's reaction. "Tira," she said simply. 'When Ti'ana realizes what an idiot she's being,' Malon thought, 'She'll tell Taabu herself.'

***

"She WHAT?!" A great voice shattered the long, unbroken silence throughout the Gerudo Valley. All the women on guard shouted in surprise and dropped their spears at the loud yell. They pulled themselves together quickly and acted as if nothing had happened. They were quite used to outbursts like that.

Nikita got the worst of it. "Please my king, let go of my arm!" A deep scarlet mark formed where the rough hand gripped the tender skin of her tanned wrist. Though Nikita had rarely felt such pain in her life, she was utterly grateful Ganondorf used only his bare hands and not the hard gloves he usually wore. Those would have easily broken her whole arm without a strenuous effort.

Ganondorf threw her arm forcefully, causing Nikita to fall on her back. "Bring Ti'ana to me! Dead or alive, I have no preference. Capture all she's with, they will pay as well for allowing a traitor among them! Go! Go, GO!" Throwing in his final bit, Ganondorf stormed from the room.

Nikita rubbed her arm. It was well bruised by now, and redder than before. Another Gerudo woman rushed to aid her.

"Niki, are you all right? I hate seeing you caught up in Ganondorf's outbursts like that." She helped her stand.

"It's all right," Nikita sighed softly. "He sure knows how to throw a temper tantrum." She forced a grin. "We'd better hurry up and find Ti'ana before he kills us all, including 'Ana."

***

Taabu yawned as he stretched out against the barn wall. "I didn't get much sleep last night. I met up with Link about a week or two ago. Haven't seen him since. Have you, Malon?"

Malon quickly nodded as she moved the bucket full of cow's milk. "He saved the ranch, you know. After he took Epona, Mr. Ingo became good again and let my dad come back to run the ranch. Since then, everything has been getting better around Hyrule, so I've heard. Lake Hylia has all its water back, the Kokiri Forest is back to normal, all the Gorons have returned to Goron City, and the rain in Kakariko Village has stopped."

Ti'ana's gaze hadn't moved from the necklace, *her* necklace. The one she had pulled of the day seven years ago when the Gerudo woman took Ti'ana from Link and Taabu.

Malon glanced back and forth between the two. "I.. I spoke with Link two days ago, as a matter of fact. He stopped by for some training with Epona. He promised he'd come back.. Today, actually! He's pretty good with Epona now, but he has to work on his lap time."

"WHO has to work on their lap time?" A voice questioned from the door frame. "If I remember correctly, Miss Malon, I beat you by two seconds!"

"Linky!" Malon said enthusiastically. "We were waiting for you. Where have you been?"

"Just rescuing Nabooru from Koume and Kotake. That was one tough temple guardian, Twinrova." He grinned. "Despite being 400 years old, Twinrova was pretty cute." Shuddering, he added, "Koume and Kotake separate they were disgusting."

Everyone laughed, except Ti'ana. She kept her head as low as she could. She knew if Link recognized her, which he would, he was sure to say something.

Navi fluttered around Link's head and then over to Ti'ana. She didn't say anything; she didn't have a chance. Ti'ana swatted her away, and the fairy, annoyed, bounced around in front of Ti'ana's head, making her fall off her chair.

That was when Link noticed the fourth person in the room. "Oh my goddesses," he murmured. He grabbed Ti'ana's arm, seemingly helping her up but instead he pulled her out of the room.

Once they were out of earshot, Link let go of Ti'ana. "What is going on here?"

Ti'ana looked down. "Please don't tell Taabu. That's why I threw you into the hole when you figured out who I was, I knew you'd have told Taabu the first chance you got."

"What'd you think? I'd hit my head and lose my memory?"

Ti'ana stifled a laugh. "Wishful thinking."

Link crossed his arms over his chest. "And if I got knocked unconscious and had a concussion, then what? You'd have left me there to die, wouldn't you have?"

"No, I sent my friend to check on you. Told her if you weren't in there to let you out."

Link laughed, but stopped short. He tilted his head a bit and looked her over. He reached over and pulled the veil off her face and smiled. "Gosh, you look exactly the same as when we were younger."

"You've gotten..." Ti'ana blushed. "Handsome. You were adorable when we were kids, you know."

Link laughed. "You don't feel so adorable when you have Mido telling you you're inferior and a person who you thought was your friend agreeing with him."

"You mean Fado? Oh please, that pigtailed annoying little head of the *Meeeedo* fan club?" Ti'ana shook her head. "She didn't like me much, either."

"We were different than all of them. They told us so, and now we know they were right."

Ti'ana scowled. "I hate letting people know they were right when for so long I would beat 'em up for telling me I wasn't like them." Ti'ana wasn't really a bully, but when someone got on her nerves enough she would push back. "We at least are a lot bigger than them and if they bug us now we can squish them."

Link laughed again. "Actually, I talked to Mido. He didn't know it was me, of course, but he told me that he was sorry for being such a bully to me. He said the only reason he did that was the fact that Saria liked me. By process of elimination and some tough thinking, I guess he likes her."

Both of the friends' fairies were out by now, each chatting in high voices. Nuli apologized to Navi for helping knock Link into the prison cell back at the Gerudo Fortress.

Navi flitted up and down. "No problem. You were just trying to protect Ti'ana. That's what us guardian fairies do!"

Ti'ana smiled watching the two fairies, but then her face became dark. "What am I going to tell Taabu?"

Shrugging, Link ruffled Ti'ana's hair. "It's up to you whether you are going to tell him the truth. Just think about how he's felt over the past seven years. Neither of us has been here, so we don't know. I've talked to Malon, and she said not so good." He put the veil back around her face.

Ti'ana reached for his hand gently. "No, I should let him know." She pulled his hand down. The veil drifted down slowly and landed at her feet.

Link nodded, smiling. "Good choice."

"Thank you, Link," Ti'ana said through a stream of tears. "I couldn't have decided without you." She threw herself into Link's arms.

A little surprised at first, Link wrapped his arms around her. "It'll be okay, 'Ana. Trust me." He stroked her hair softly. "Just tell him."

Ti'ana nodded with her head against Link's chest. "I will, I..." she seemed to have trailed off.

"What's wrong?" Link asked.

"Shh!" Ti'ana ordered and pulled away from Link. "Do you hear that?"

Link shook his head, and then widened his eyes. "Horses. The only Hylians who have horses now besides those here are..."

"Gerudo!" Nuli and Navi both shrieked at the same time. They both flew around wildly. Navi ordered, "Both of you, get inside!"

"No!" Nuli said. "If we go inside, they'll have us trapped! We could go around to the back of the corral, but we'd still wind up caught. No matter where we go.." she paused. "We're in trouble."

Ti'ana grabbed at the doorknob and ran into the two-story house. She shot up the stairs into the room where Taabu and Malon sat, still eating and talking. "We have to get out of here!"

Malon's eyes darted up, startled that Ti'ana wasn't wearing her veil. "What's up?"

Ti'ana shook her head. "Just get out of here! We're in trouble. A LOT of trouble, and it's all my fault."

Taabu blinked a few times. 'It can't be,' he thought. 'She can't be one of THEM!'

Ti'ana saw Taabu's shocked look. "I promise, I'll explain later. Just follow me!" She hurried out the door with Taabu and Malon close behind her. "It may already be too late," she said in despair.

As she opened the door from the house, she cried out as a hand grabbed her arm. "Don't take me back!"

"Quiet!" Link ordered. "Follow me, and fast. I mean really fast, like The Running Man fast." His breath was short and rapid. "They're going to be here any minute."

Running just as fast as TRM with his bunny hood, the four sprinted around the horses' fenced area to the wooden wall at the back of the corral. Malon was the last to make it, tripping over her skirt a few times.

"If we stay here," Link panted. "Maybe they won't find us."

Ti'ana and Taabu exchanged glances. She shook her head, not taking her eyes away from Taabu. "They are a lot smarter than you think." She sucked in her breath. "They can taste your fear and find you like a hunting dog traces the scent of a fox. Stay quiet and hope for the best."

No sooner had Ti'ana spoken that the hoof beats entered Lon Lon Ranch. Ti'ana grabbed Taabu's hand and held on to it tightly.

A Gerudo woman's voice sounded from the entrance. "Ti'ana is here! Find that deceitful, traitorous little good-for-nothing and bring her to meet her fate!"

"Remember Ganondorf's words," another said in a monotone voice. "EVERYONE who is with her comes back." The words struck Ti'ana hard, for those were the words of Nikita.

Navi peeked out from under Link's tunic. "We have to get to the Temple of Time, Link!" She whispered. "I hate to leave the three here, but the destiny of Hyrule depends upon ye!"

Link's face almost broke. "It's true, Navi." He turned to Malon, Ti'ana and Taabu. "If I don't go, we'll all perish. We'll have a better chance if I defeat Ganondorf guys." He pulled out the Ocarina of Time. "Please forgive me."

The other three smiled and nodded. "The fate of the world rests upon your shoulders, Hero of Time," Ti'ana whispered. "I'd try to warp us all out of here, but only I'd get out and then I wouldn't be able to come back here." She took out her Gerudo banto with her free hand. "I'll protect them the best I can."

Link nodded and put the ocarina to his mouth. "Good luck." He played the Prelude of Light. Navi didn't even ask if he wanted to warp to the Temple of Time. She flew around him and then off to the temple.

The sound of the ocarina's song indicated to the Gerudo's where Ti'ana and here friends were. "Behind the corral!" A woman shouted out to the others, and ten women on horseback surrounded the small fenced area. "Come out and we won't hurt you!" The voice itself seemed to smile. "Right away, at least."

Ti'ana looked at Malon and Taabu. She nodded and mouthed silently "stay here." Taabu reluctantly let go of her hand. "I'll be okay," she whispered, and kissed Taabu on the cheek.

Ti'ana stepped out from her hiding place. "I am here!"

Nikita, who was rather near Ti'ana, gasped. She wasn't expecting Ti'ana to come out; secretly she hoped she wouldn't. Her eyes darted from left to right, then she acted as quickly as she could, without being threatening to Ti'ana. "I've got her!" She pulled a long coil of rope off her stallion.

Ti'ana started to struggle, and wound up dropping her banto. Another Gerudo snatched it quickly and threw it into a leather bag attached to her horse's saddle.

She looked up at Nikita, her eyes asking "why?" Nikita nodded her head once, telling Ti'ana just to play along. "Struggle a little more," Nikita whispered. Ti'ana did as she was told. Nikita "tried" to get her onto her horse while Ti'ana twisted this way and that.

'Taabu and Malon,' Ti'ana thought. She looked around quickly and saw both of them were already captured, bound and gagged, each slung over the saddle of a horse.

"We'll be taking them back to the valley!" One of the Gerudo women called as she climbed on a horse, holding on to the reins of the mare Taabu was on.

Nikita nodded and looked down at the squirming Ti'ana. "I need to work on this one. All of you, back to the Valley. I'll follow soon."

"Yes madam," the woman holding onto Taabu said. "Hurry and get Ti'ana back. Ganondorf won't appreciate what we've done unless she is with us. He will already be furious we didn't get that Link kid."

"Don't worry about him, Judit," Nikita assured. "Ganondorf said if we didn't find him he will somehow, and I'm sure it has to do with the Princess."

Judit had more questions, but thought it best to get Taabu and Malon back to the fortress. Without another word, she kicked her spurred shoes into the side of her horse and was off.

Nikita watched as Judit sped off. She didn't move until the sound of the mare's hoof beats were inaudible. Then she turned to Ti'ana.

"What more do you want with me, Nikita?" Ti'ana questioned. "I'm not a Gerudo, I never was a Gerudo and I never will BE a Gerudo." Her voice remained firm, though it broke off a few times. "I just want a normal life again. No stealing, no fighting, nothing like that. If it weren't for this I could have told Taabu the truth about how I felt for him in the first place, but I can't now. If I do," her voice broke again. "Ganondorf will destroy me. Even worse, Taabu." 

Sighing, Nikita let go of Ti'ana. "If you don't come back, he'll find you anyway. I don't like seeing anyone like this. I guess I'm more like Nabooru than I thought." She forced on a little smile.

Ti'ana paused. "I'll come," she said. "I need a few minutes to myself right now, though. I'll go to the Gerudo Valley on my own accord, don't worry. And don't wait for me."

Nikita knew well enough that Ti'ana had always been true to her word. "I can't enter the valley without you, though. Ganondorf will be furious."

Smiling, Ti'ana answered, "Tell Ganondork I'll be there soon. And if I'm not..." She thought for a moment. "Tell him he can come get me, I fear him not."

Nodding slightly, Nikita nervously mounted her horse. "Take care, 'Ana. I trust you." She kicked the horse in the side and sped around the corral to the entrance.

Ti'ana watched her go. When the hoof beats were well off in the distance, she reached into a pocket hidden in her shirt and emerged with her hard clay ocarina. Placing the blue mouthpiece to her lips, Nuli fluttered out from her hiding spot and sat on Ti'ana's head, watching. Sixteen notes were played. It was the mysterious music from the Lost Woods: Saria's Song.

"You want to talk to Saria?" Nuli asked this in a strange tone. She wasn't asking if she wanted to talk to her or not, because that was the only reason Ti'ana usually played the song. "You just spoke to her a few weeks ago, before Link came back."

Ti'ana nodded. She used to speak to Saria a lot after she was taken captive by the Gerudo. For a few months, though, she could not because of vigorous training required by any Gerudo member. Saria was her only contact to the outside world, even after she was stuck in the Forest Temple.

"Okay," Nuli was confused, but connected the two anyway.

"Ti'ana, is that you?" Saria's voice came clear out from the ocarina.

"Yes, Saria, this is 'Ana."

Saria's voice seemed to shake uncontrollably. "Something bad has happened, Ti'ana. Princess Zelda was found by Ganondorf after Link met with her."

"Ganondorf's not at Gerudo Valley?" Ti'ana's voice was hopeful.

"He is, though. For now, at least." Saria stopped short, then spoke quietly. "He's waiting for you, Ti'ana. I don't know why.."

A sound resembling a sob rose from Ti'ana's throat. Her voice came out raspy. "I thought he had forgotten."

"Huh?" Saria's voice questioned, then lightened a bit. "Anyway, Ti'ana, get back to Gerudo Valley immediately before Taabu or Malon are hurt. To Ganondork, their lives mean nothing and he will take them without a second's thought."

Ti'ana nodded. "I hope I'll make it in time, though. Thanks a lot, Saria!"

"Bye, 'Ana. Take care, and don't forget the sages are helping you and Link." The connection with Saria was canceled.

"Ti'ana, we have to go!" Nuli's high voice rang in the girl's ear. "Remember what Nikita said. She trust you."

"Let's go." Again, Ti'ana placed her ocarina to her lips and played Flicka's song; the basic eight-note of the whole song were all that was necessary to summon the mare.

Obediently, Flicka walked around from inside the corral over to Ti'ana. "Let's go!" She repeated this over and over again quietly as she climbed onto the saddle.


	13. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Thirteen  


Nikita tapped her foot impatiently against the saddle of her horse. It had been less than a half hour since she left Lon Lon, but she was very intolerant when it came to waiting. Finally, she could hear Ti'ana approaching.

Flicka reared back as a giant Poe rose out of the ground in front of her. Ti'ana was unarmed, as Nikita knew, so, acting quickly, she drew a bow and two arrows, shooting them directly at the back of the ghost. Gerudo women were very skilled when it came to aim, so it was no surprise she didn't need any more arrows than two.

Ti'ana struggled to calm down the horse. Finally, Flicka kept all four feet on the ground without a problem and Ti'ana walked her over to Nikita.

"Please, Nikita, I don't want Ganondorf to hurt her. I'll go in first and you can bring Flicka in afterwards. Watch her carefully."

Nodding, the Gerudo woman took hold of the reins Ti'ana offered to her. "Don't worry so much about the horse than your own life and the lives of your friends. Ganondorf has no interest in the mare. He wants you."

Agreeing, Ti'ana muttered, "Why me?" She trudged into the valley with her head hung low.

Dark clouds began to roll in and cover the sunlight. A low rumble of thunder filled Hyrule Field. It was difficult to hear, but the ground moved slightly in sync with the noise. A flash of light streaked across the sky, but it didn't come from the clouds; it came from the middle of Gerudo Valley.

Ti'ana remembered the day Ganondorf kidnapped her: the sky was dark like it was becoming now. Taking this as a bad omen, Ti'ana shivered uncontrollably. She gingerly stepped across the flimsy wooden plank that swayed at her every move. It almost tipped over completely, causing Ti'ana to leap the last three feet onto solid ground.

A thought ran through her head as she walked further. The bridge connecting Hyrule Field to Gerudo Valley was broken, and she had left Flicka in the care of Nikita.

Sighing, she walked to the edge of the cliff, and was surprised to see the bridge fixed. "When did this happen?" She questioned quietly as she tested the sturdiness of the wooden bridge. After tapping the toe of her leather sandals, stepping on it completely and jumping up and down a few times, she was content with it and walked across.

An old, overweight man stood in front of a tent. She nodded a hello, and jumped back when he sneered at her.

"Kids these days!" He grunted. "Worthless, I tell you!" Motioning to the tent, he continued, "'Specially those four bum carpenters in there. Only work well together. After that fairy kid came and saved 'um from the Gerudo women they got their heads together and fixed that bridge."

Ti'ana nodded and stepped back a little. "I'll be.. going now." She sprinted away from the man. As she ran, she secured the veil around her face and nearly ran into a wall.

Upon entering the darkened valley, Ti'ana ran into Nikita's friend, Judit.

"Ti'ana!" She gasped. Her eyes darted around the valley. "Ganondorf is angry," Judit added nonchalantly as she grabbed 'Ana's arm. "He requests your presence in the Spirit Temple. You're friends are being held captive until your arrival."

Ti'ana yanked her arm away. "I'll go myself." She pulled out her ocarina. Nuli, who was resting on top of it, fluttered around Ti'ana. Ti'ana placed her lips on the mouthpiece and played the first few notes of the Requiem of Spirit. Nuli didn't ask questions; she flew rapidly around Ti'ana and the two were transported to the Spirit Temple.

***

Malon watched in horror as Taabu was strewn about the room from Stalfos to Wolfos to Iron Knuckle. He was badly beaten up and Malon couldn't tell whether he was conscious or not. Blood trickled down his brow over his lips and a dark purple spot was forming around his right eye.

A Guay kept flying past Malon and would occasionally pull out a strand of her hair. She wanted so much to swat at it, but her arms were held behind her back in the mouth of a Giant Deku Baba, who was planted in a large pot, as a Blue Tektite rammed into her stomach with its head.

Ganondorf sat on the stairs inside the Spirit Temple. His forehead rested in his hands, shaking his head every now and then. He turned his head to see the mangled Taabu and helpless Malon. "All right, I believe that is enough for today."

The moblins didn't listen. They continued beating up the two teenagers.

Ganondorf stood up and boomed, "I SAID STOOOOP!"

The Guay holding a piece of Malon's hair hovered above her. He flew away, not realizing he was still holding it, and yanked the hair from her head. As she cried out in pain, Ganondorf shocked the small, birdlike creature in midair, instantly knocking it out. The Deku Baba let go of Malon immediately.

At a snap of his fingers, Ganondorf's henchmen all disappeared. Taabu was in worse shape than Malon thought. He could barely keep himself on both feet. "I hate to bother defenseless yet bothersome beings, but I had a deal with Ti'ana that you two would be under my control until she came here."

Taabu struggled to stand up straight. "You can kill me, but don't hurt Ti'ana."

Ganondorf appeared to smile, a twisted, evil grin that spread from ear to ear as he sat down. "I admire your nobility. Even so, what goes on between Ti'ana and I are not your business. You are only here to ensure she comes."

"She's already here," Ti'ana's voice echoed through the large fore-chamber of the temple.

Ganondorf stood up. "Lady Ti'ana, I didn't think you'd make it."

"I wouldn't abandon my friends, Ganondorf. Of course, you wouldn't know about loyalty to friends now, would you, King?"

"You mock me, Ti'ana." He stalked over and circled around her like a lion hunting his prey. "You always were the sarcastic type." He placed an arm around her shoulder. "Why can't you just obey me like all my other slaves? I have given you privileges galore. I have turned the world upside-down for you!"

Malon was confused. "What is he talking about?"

Ganondorf faked a gasp. "Why, Ti'ana, you haven't told them your secret? I know I have not yet announced it, but you didn't tell your friends?"

He smiled again, almost like a little schoolboy who had just found a Golden Skultula. "Well Malon, Taabu, your friend Ti'ana is the new Queen of Hyrule!"


	14. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Fourteen  


The half-conscious Taabu fell to his knees. Whatever strength he had left abandoned him. Ti'ana, the love of his life from when they were children married to _Ganondorf_?! The thought troubled him greatly. He looked up and his eyes met Ti'ana's. Pure terror reflected in her orbs of emerald, but her face remained firm.

"It's true," she said, her voice not wavering one bit. "You're friend Ti'ana is queen of the land you live on." The steadiness of her voice broke off. "Or at least I will be." Again, her eyes landed on Taabu's.

'So they're not married yet,' he sighed thankfully. 'There still is time.' Taabu wasn't so sure. His vision was starting to blur and words seemed to merge together like the colors of paint on a pallet.

As if sensing his thoughts, Ti'ana nodded, smiled and winked. Taabu grinned for a moment and slumped back. He didn't look to well, but there was no way he was going to quit now.

Ganondorf went on to explain the wedding plans. Taabu was lost in his own thoughts. How would they get out of here? He looked over at Malon, who's eyes were still wide with fright. She looked over at Taabu and mouthed "what are we going to do?" Taabu shrugged.

"..In fact," Ganondorf continued his speech. "Why not have the wedding right now?"

Ti'ana swallowed. "Now?" Her voice was very light and delicate. "Isn't that jumping into things? I mean, we were only engaged a few... years ago." She smiled and walked around to face him. "What's wrong with tomorrow? Or the day after?" 'Any amount of time to allow me to run away!'

Ganondorf scratched his chin. "Perhaps you are right, love. We could do that but..." He paused. "No." At a snap of his fingers, a Stalfos dressed in black appeared before them. "Now, let us begin the ceremony." Two other Stalfos appeared; one picked up Malon and the other Taabu, who didn't seem to react. "We need witnesses," Ganondorf explained coolly

Ti'ana gasped. "This isn't happening," she muttered.

"It is, my love. Soon you will rule Hyrule into its glorious Dark Ages right by my side! Just think of all I am offering you, Ti'ana. All I ask is that you love me in return, fear me, and I will be your slave!"

Ti'ana gasped. She had never seen Ganondorf like this before, and found it difficult to take anything he said as the truth.

"Besides," Ganondorf continued, "you have no choice. It's my eternal promise to be your king or the death of your friend here." He motioned to Taabu. "Now, will you cooperate?"

Ti'ana's head started to bow in a nod when a young white Wolfos appeared before them. "My lord," he panted, "Link has arrived at the castle, and is practically at the Princess!"

Ganondorf's calm face twisted into a sinister scowl. He muttered some profanity, then, "Don't think this is the end, 'My' Ti'ana," and disappeared with out a word.

The monsters holding Taabu and Malon vanished along with him. Taabu fell to the ground and Malon landed on her feet. Ti'ana rushed over to Taabu and kneeled down next to him.

"Taaby?" She shook him gently. He didn't move. "Taabu?!" She grabbed his shoulders and rolled him onto his back. His eyes were shut, and he didn't appear to be breathing.

Malon bit her lip to hold back tears. "Oh my gods, 'Ana please don't tell me..."

A single tear rolled down her cheek. "He's gone."


	15. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Fifteen  


Nuli, who had been hidden from view since Ti'ana entered the Spirit Temple, was now hovering over Taabu's body. She watched Ti'ana, who's face was buried in Taabu's shoulder as she hugged him close to her, weep something terrible and Nuli herself felt like she was going to cry. She turned to Malon, who was frozen in place, her eyes wide with terror, fear and grief.

The tiny fairy landed on Ti'ana's shoulder. "These things happen," she whispered. Ti'ana said nothing, which was what Nuli expected. "We can't fight fate."

"Why?" Ti'ana cried. "There must be something.. anything!"

Nuli didn't reply. She flitted away from Ti'ana. _Give her some time_, she thought.

It had been a while since Nuli saw sunlight, and this was the perfect time of day. The sun was about to set, so the light was intense. She looked around Desert Colossus and sighed. She was about to reenter the Temple when her eyes landed on a small puddle of water. "That's odd," she said aloud. "I don't remember that from last time I was here. Things certainly do change in a matter of years."

Nuli hadn't seen the outside of the Spirit Temple in seven years, when Ti'ana was first kidnapped and brought to the Gerudo Valley. They initiated her as Gerudo in Desert Colossus and held a brief ceremony in the temple.

Ti'ana had thrown the worst temper ever. She bit, scratched, shrieked and spit until finally she fell unconscious when a Gerudo woman placed a vile of a strong-smelling substance under her nose.

That thought almost made Nuli smile, the way Ti'ana had been screaming her lungs out one second, then the next she was out cold. Nuli was hiding the entire time. The Gerudo rarely saw her.

Nuli's mind traced back to the pond. As she flew closer, she noticed several other flying beings.

"Fairies!" She gasped. She sped over to them as fast as sound, and stopped in front of one of the pink, flying individuals.

"Excuse me?" She asked politely. "I need your help."

The fairy stopped flying and hovered before Nuli. "Sure, fellow fairy. What do you need?"

***

Malon sat next to Ti'ana, who was still crying over Taabu. Neither of them realized Nuli's absence, nor her presence when she appeared with the other fairy.

The healing fairy quietly worked on Taabu. She flew over and around him. Still, neither of the girls noticed her. The fairy disappeared in a mist of pink light.

Ti'ana continued to cry. "Why, Taabu?" She held herself closer to him and whispered, "I love you."

Taabu's motionless hand started to move. Ti'ana didn't see, but it almost made Malon gasp. His arm reached up and hugged Ti'ana to his chest. "I love you, too."

At the sound of his voice, Ti'ana's heart started to pound. She pulled herself back quickly. "T.. Taabu?"

He sat up and looked down at himself. "Hmm.. Yep, Taabu."

"Taabu," she whispered, and threw herself into his arms. "You're alive! My gods, you're alive!"

Taabu hugged her close. "As alive as I've ever been."

Ti'ana let go and hit Taabu's shoulder. "Don't you ever do that to me again!" She wiped a tear away from her eye.

Taabu winced and rubbed his shoulder. "Ah.. I'll remember that next time I die." He smiled gently.

The two embraced quickly and Malon hugged Taabu as well. "Hug" would be an understatement; she practically squeezed whatever life was left in him out. He was about to pass out again when Malon let go. She, too, hit him on the shoulder, but harder than Ti'ana. "**NEVER** again!"

Taabu choked out, "I got the point." He rubbed his neck and again his shoulder.

Malon stood up and smiled gently. "I'll be outside if you need me." She climbed down the stairs with great difficulty, limping slightly on her right leg and practically pulling herself out the open entrance with her last bit of strength. 

As soon as she left, Ti'ana kissed Taabu gently on the cheek. He returned it with one on her forehead. "I've missed you so much," he sighed. "Did you ever try to escape."

Ti'ana nodded. "Trust me, when you're betrothed to the 'great king' Ganondorf who is worshipped and reverenced like a god among the Gerudo, you're watched like a hawk does a mouse. I got into a lot of trouble. I hated it there, but I learned to live with it." Ti'ana told him everything; her initiation as a Gerudo, the legal betrothal ceremony when she was fifteen years old (it had been decided when she first entered the Gerudo Valley, for the women sensed she had a special "power" about her that could be helpful if joined with the evil forces of Ganondorf), her meeting Link when she was forced to imprison him, up to that morning when she was reunited with Taabu.

She paused for a moment. "That's my story for now. The end has not yet been written so I can't tell you what happens after now." She frowned. "And I have no clue what will happen once Ganondorf is destroyed."

Taabu arched a brow and smiled. "I'd like to have a clue."

"I think the future isn't for us to know. Che sarà, sarà, I guess. Right?"

Taabu shook his head. "That's not what I mean."

"What do you mean, then?" Ti'ana's question could have as well not have been asked, for she had a hint anyway. Taabu was never very well at keeping someone in suspense, for his eyes gave away whatever he felt.

As he took her hand, a beam of light came from the ceiling of the temple. It was immensely bright, yet comforting at the same time. The temple seemed to shrink away from them until light was all they saw.

Malon, who had been standing outside of the temple, was also with Ti'ana and Taabu in the realm of crystalline light. "Where are we?" She muttered the questioned to herself, and it would not have been heard by the other two, yet her voice echoed off of the invisible walls of light.

"You are in the Sacred Realm," a voice spoke out from no where, though it seemed to be coming from everywhere. It sounded as though more than a single person were speaking at the same time, but the voices mixed together so well none could distinguish one from the next.

Ti'ana stood up, standing on nothing but the light. Nuli flitted out from her usual hiding spot and flew around Ti'ana's head a few times, then went into the direction she thought the voices were coming from. "Who are you?"

Three figures stepped forward out of the light; it parted and fell back in place, almost like a cascade. Ti'ana wasn't sure if the light was solid or not. Malon and Taabu seemed just as confused.

The three forms shone brightly. One would assume that light as bright as this, almost as the sun, would hurt the eye, but the three teenagers found it calming and gentle, almost a pleasure to gaze upon.

"We are the Golden Goddesses, Din, Farore and Nayru," they said at once. Still, the voices came from everywhere and nowhere. Their bodies shimmered like white gold, and it was difficult to distinguish one from the next, besides the color of the aura that surrounded each of them.

Red light engulfed the figure of Din, green that of Farore and blue was Nayru. "Our true forms," they explained, "are these. You are of the few to look upon them." As they spoke, their gold bodies began to change until they appeared to look like Hylians.

Din wore a long red gown of cashmere. Her hair was short and crimson, and even her skin was a reddish hue. Around her neck was a short pendant of ruby, which, when turned a certain way into the light, showed the image of the Triforce. Farore had on a long, green cloak of soft velvet. It shimmered in the light, whether she moved or not. Her heavy-looking earrings were emeralds, and they, like Din's ruby, showed the Triforce. Nayru was the most beautiful to Ti'ana, even though she thought the other two to be almost equally beauteous. She had a blue scarf tied around her neck, pinned together by a sapphire brooch. Like the similar jewelry on Din and Farore, it too had an image of the Golden Relic. Her long hair was an Aztec blue, and it fell freely on her bare shoulders. Nayru's clothing was similar to a Gerudo's otherwise, adorned with blue-tinted gold. Even as regular Hylians, one who saw these three together would be able to sense their superiority just by glancing upon their dress.

Din stepped up first. "We are here to return you three back seven years, the time before the wrath of the Evil King fell on Hyrule. We apologize for allowing him to find the Triforce, for it was difficult to hide the Golden Relic within the Sacred Realm. The Temple of Light cannot be altered to keep one from finding the Triforce." She paused and sighed, then continued, "Even from one as evil as Ganon."

Farore picked up from where Din ended, and the speech was kept in a continuous flow. "If a person with a pure heart places a hand upon the Triforce, Hyrule will go into a period of prosperity. But if the person has a blackness which inhabits his spirit, Hyrule will become the land of monsters it is now. The Hero of Time has destroyed Ganon as of now, and he is locked in the Evil Realm, not to be released until his heart is pure enough. That will be determined by the Triforce. He cannot escape; the Great Goddess, whom we were sent by to create Hyrule, has made it so."

"Which brings us to you," Nayru held her hand out to Ti'ana, who remained motionless as she listened to the goddesses, entwining her fingers with Taabu's. "The Gerudo were correct when they said you contained a certain power. You are the incarnation of our creator, the Great Goddess Zahabu, the golden one. You lived in the Sacred Realm until about three decades ago, when you, Zahabu, sensed the future of Hyrule was in danger after the birth of a son in the Gerudo Valley. Waiting a few years, you put yourself down on Earth into the womb of a woman about to give birth."

Nayru stopped to allow Ti'ana a few moments to understand was she was hearing. The Great Goddess? She head never heard of Zahabu, but then again she had never had a conversation with the three creators of Hyrule either. Finally, she nodded, and was about to speak before Nayru started again.

"You understand your past now, I presume. I'm sure it is a great shock to you, yet there is more to come. You've been through the worst so far. Now, about your Earth mother. It was in the time of war in Hyrule, and your spirit entered her unborn child seconds before she gave birth... To a boy and you, the girl after she stumbled upon the Kokiri Forest. Your mother was gravely injured, and your only hope for survival was to be entrusted to the Great Deku Tree."

Now Nayru had lost her. Did that mean that Ti'ana was a Hylian after all? So she was more like Link than she thought.

"That's not all," Din continued. "As you and your brother were given to the Deku Tree, your fairy, Nuli, who was a newborn as well, became attached to you, which is why you've always had a fairy."

"What about my brother?" Ti'ana questioned. "He didn't die too, did he?" She could never imagine having any siblings, let alone a mother.

Farore smiled gently and cradled Ti'ana's face in her hand, tipping up her chin. "Your brother just saved Hyrule from its awful fate."

Taabu turned to Ti'ana, who's eyes went wide. "Link?"

All three goddesses nodded, and spoke in unison again. "As Zahabu's incarnation, you are our leader. You hold all the power of the Triforce deep within you."

"And now that you understand your destiny," Farore continued, "you will stay with us in the Sacred Realm as our leader, once again the Great Goddess and our Queen, Zahabu."

"Your friends will return to Hyrule as it was seven years ago. It will be impossible to erase the memories of what happened here, so they will simply have to forget them on their own. It's harsh, I know, but it's the only way."

Ti'ana's eyes began to tear up. "If I stay, then I'll never see my friends again." She held tightly to Taabu's hand. "I can't do that."

"But we have you back, we can't lose you again!" Nayru cried. "Hyrule is safe, you have no need to remain on Earth. Your home is here, the Sacred Realm. You will help us at rest in the heart of the Temple of Light."

Din stepped forward. "Princess Zelda has sent Link back to his time already, and now it's your turn, Malon, Taabu." She began to sing the tune of the Royal Family. Farore took out a gold percussion instrument and Nayru a golden ocarina and played along to Din's singing.

"No!" Malon cried. She reached for Ti'ana, but a brighter light engulfed her and soon she was gone.

Taabu started to dissipate as well. He dropped Ti'ana's hand. "I'll never forget you. You'll be in my heart... forever..." His voice trailed off as he, too, vanished.

"Taabu," Ti'ana whispered, her voice breaking. "_**TAABU!!!!!**_" She dropped to her knees and began to sob. Nayru walked over to her and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "Come, Ti'ana. It is time to return to your rightful position as the Great Goddess."


	16. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Sixteen  


Taabu hadn't left his bedroom for days. He was once again the ten-year-old boy he was before Ganondorf's attempt at taking over the world. Taabu's hair was the dark shade it used to be, but after nearly a week of improper nourishment (he only consumed bread and milk since his return, yet still he never had the desire to eat), his hair became dull and his hazel eyes became flat gray.

His mother called the doctor time and time again, but never could diagnose an ailment. Taabu hardly responded to questions he was asked, staring at the ceiling or out the small window the entire time. The doctor said it was just his age, and he would grow out of it soon enough. Grow out of it, Taabu would say to himself, mocking the doctor once he left. _I'd rather die right here on this bed than never see Ti'ana again._

Malon was not as upset as dear Taabu, but it showed up less in her work. Once, Talon asked her why Ti'ana and Taabu hadn't come to visit, and she broke down crying, running up to her room. She began to suffer from insomnia, staying awake all night on some occasions, trying to remember what happened that fateful day when Ti'ana was ripped from her friends. She replayed the story over and over again in her mind, remembering the last few seconds with Ti'ana.

After nearly a month of hardly any sleep and troubled thoughts, Malon began to work on her regular schedule again. Ti'ana was still on her mind, now more than ever. Taabu hadn't come to work for a while, but one day he showed up out of no where.

"Hey Malon," he said, in his old how-do-you-do voice. He looked almost back to normal, except for his distinctly thinner body and pasty-white complexion. Taabu began to work like before, not stopping once or asking what he had to do. Even after all this time, his working program was exactly as it had been before.

Malon was surprised. Not once had he brought up Ti'ana, like he had when she was taken from them and brought to Gerudo Valley. She supposed now he finally understood Ti'ana was never coming back.

"Taabu!" Talon called. "Say, when did you get here? We've been waiting for you for months. Your mother told us you were sick, so I didn't send Ingo to bug you about your lack of attendance at work. Must have been some pretty bad illness."

"Yessir," Taabu answered. "I'm much better now, though. The doc said it was just my age, I'd get out of it, and I guess he was right. Now I'm back and ready to work."

"Good attitude, kid," Talon praised. I expect triple to work to make up for your lost days here."

"No problemo, Big Lon." Taabu went back to work.

"Big Lon?" Talon shook his head. "Hope that's a name that won't stick."

***

Taabu had hardly any trouble sleeping that night, but his sleep was interrupted by nightmares of Ti'ana being taken away and brought to Gerudo Valley, getting her back and losing her again.

"Why did they let me remember her!" Taabu cried out, jumping out of bed. "It's not fair! No one else remembers but Malon and me, and Link, too!"

Taabu had met briefly with Link two weeks earlier. He came by to see how he was handling things.

"I'm fine, Link," he had said. "I understand that Ti'ana doesn't belong here on Earth, in Hyrule.. with me." He held back the tears that lingered in their ducts. "I'm just glad I got the chance to tell her how I feel. That's the best thing I can hold on to, I guess."

Link nodded. "You're right, Taabu. You lost her once, and then again. Now for good, and it's going to be difficult to realize that, and I wish the best for you." He left Taabu there, wandering back to the Kokiri Forest.

"Not fair," Taabu repeated, sitting on the edge of his bed, staring into the darkness. The only light was a single ray from the full moon that entered the window next to his bed.


	17. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Chap...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Chapter Seventeen  


The day was dark and dreary. Clouds hung menacingly overhead, threatening to open up a deluge upon Hyrule. Taabu felt the same way. His feelings locked deep down inside could burst at any moment. flooding out the agony he wouldn't allow to show.

He slept that night for perhaps an hour at most. It was probably the best night's sleep he'd had in the past month. His eyes were droopy, yet other than that there was no other hint that he had missed sleep. He remained as lively as ever when he was in the presence of others, yet it was another story when he was alone.

Today, he had to work the early shift at Lon Lon. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he grabbed his pillow and flung it across the room as hard as he could, knocking over a flimsy wooden chair. Quickly, he dressed and exited the house without breakfast for the ranch.

Once he left Kakariko Village, he slowed his pace down a little. The sun was barely up, with only a single. ray of light showing through the thick clouds. A dense fog started to form, making it difficult to see. Taabu smirked. The weather reflected his emotions lock, stock, and barrel.

Walking to the small stone bridge, he paused for a moment and looked to Hyrule Castle. He saw a small dark figure racing to the bridge of the Hyrule Castle Town.

"Hey!" He ran across the river trying to catch up with the form.

"Taabu!" The form called. "How've you been?"

Taabu stopped short in front of his friend. "Hey, Link, didn't recognize you from all the way back there. Still trying to get used to the 'little you' again."

Link smirked. "You're young again, too, you know. It's not just me."

"Yeah, yeah okay. I only saw you seven to ten and then seventeen, so those are the only 'yous' I know."

"Good excuse."

"Got a better one?"

Link shook his head. "Just kidding anyway. I'm going to go see the princess."

"Do you know if she's there anymore? I mean, wouldn't she still be in the Sacred Realm?"

"Nope," Link grinned. "I saw her the other day, actually. She requested I come again today. I'm going to hang around the town a little while before I go."

"Seriously? Wow, you two have something going on?" He elbowed Link playfully.

"Haha, you're too funny Taabu." Suddenly, Link grew serious. "Are you doing okay?"

Taabu's smile faded. "I thought I was. You're the only person who can see through me, Link, besides 'Ana.. No, I'm not doing okay." He shook his head quickly. "Quite the contrary. I'm doing awful! I don't sleep anymore and get sick when I eat anything, which is usually to appease my mother. I'm quiet, withdrawn, antisocial and people are starting to notice these things. My mother doesn't know about Ti'ana's disappearance... No one does, that I know of. Talon asked where she was, though." He paused, and smiled. "Talon treated 'Ana like a second daughter."

Link nodded. "Ti'ana was like a sister to me. Other than Saria, she was the only person I could confide in, since we were the same type of person."

Taabu blinked. "You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?"

"Link... Ti'ana IS your sister!"

Link looked like he would pass out. "Sister? I have a SISTER?! I just found I had a mother, and now a sister."

Taabu grinned. "You're princess is waiting for you.

"Sister..." He shook his head. "And to think I used to... Ah never mind. You're right, Zelda's waiting for me!"

"The bridge isn't up yet, though. You're gonna have to wait a few minutes."

Link grinned and pulled out his ocarina. "Let's cheat a little." He played the full 13-note melody of the Sun's Song, and almost immediately the bridge lowered over the moat to Hyrule Castle Town. "Luckily, Zelda's loosened security at the Castle and the guards know me by now. So I don't have to go for a swim to avoid them now!"

Taabu nodded. "Well, thanks to the extra half an hour you put time ahead, I only have five minutes to get to Lon Lon. You could've at least waited until I got half way across the field!"

"The I suggest you run, no?" With a laugh and a wave, Link ran into the castle town.

Smiling, Taabu turned towards the ranch. He could probably reach the ranch in less than ten minutes if he walked fast. That was a benefit of Hyrule; mostly everything was in short walking distance of each other.

The fog was even denser by now, though it should have lightened since the sun was up. The clouds were just as thick except for that single ray, which touched the ground on the path due east of Lon Lon Ranch.

Upon reaching the ranch, Taabu looked again to the ray of light. He couldn't see the ground where it touched, and having a few minutes decided to take a small detour. Maybe the feeling of the light on his face would cheer him up more. This wouldn't be too difficult, since the rendezvous with Link lifted his spirits some.

He hopped up on the stone wall, jumped down on the other side and, closing his eyes, he walked towards the beam of sunlight. As he walked over, his arms spread out like he had wings, he began to hum the song of the royal family. As he did, it seemed, the fog became less thick, but the ray of light remained just as intense, if not more, though it had nothing to show itself through any longer.

Taabu stopped. Something sat in the path where the ray of light touched the ground. A small boulder, it seemed, must have rolled onto the road... somehow. How that was possible, Taabu didn't know. The fog was still thick enough to block his vision, and the boulder was very fuzzy.

As he stepped closer, he noticed that it was not a boulder at all, but in fact was a person. He could see the clothing the figure was wearing; a forest green cloak with a hood which covered the person's hair. He assumed it was female, because she wore what looked like a dress and teal stockings.

He choked back a sob as he kneeled next to her. There was no doubting who this person was. Even so, he rolled her onto her back and peeled the hood off her hair, allowing blonde tresses to spill out over her face.

A solitary tear fell from Taabu's eye and landed on the girl's fair cheek. He lifted her limp body and hugged her. He could feel her breathing, and to know she was alive filled him with a joy unknown to anyone. As he held her, he whispered in her ear, "I love you, Ti'ana."

The girl stirred after being held, and she pressed herself against Taabu. "You told me that... seven years from today." Both of them laughed.

The sun broke through the clouds almost immediately, and the fog dissipated completely in a matter of seconds. A new day had indeed begun.


	18. The Legend of Zelda: Ti'ana's Story Epil...

The Legend of Zelda  
Ti'ana's Story  
__________by Ti'ana MYST

Epilogue  


Princess Zelda shook her head. "No... the train is much too long and the dress too short. Besides, I'd look awful in light blue!"

Ti'ana smiled as she turned to a blank page in her notebook. Quickly, she sketched a dress and showed it to her friend. Zelda turned bright red and pulled the drawing from the book, shoving it in her bureau drawer. "Wedding dress! Not honeymoon night wear!" The girls quickly went into a giggle fit.

Nuli rested on Zelda's vanity table. "I don't understand what the big deal about clothes is. I mean, it was never a problem for me."

Ti'ana stopped laughing for a moment. "Okay, seriously now. We have to... plan the.. dress.." Again, the laughing took her over.

"Oh give me the pencil!" The tiny fairy fluttered over to the sketch pad and started to draw. The pencil was longer than she was, but she drew with ease, and finished a complicated rough draft of a beautiful wedding gown within seconds.

Zelda looked over. "Wow, I didn't know Nuli was such an ar-teest. I would have hired her for the bridesmaids' dresses!"

Ti'ana faked a pout. Even at eighteen, she could pull herself off as an eight-year-old. "You mean my work's not good enough for my best gal-pal in Hyrule? I'm hurt! Offended! And what's worse, you chose a tiny blue ball of light with wings over me!" Nuli looked upset and drooped her wings, then retreated into Ti'ana's bag. "Oh, I was just kidding." She knew Nuli was just kidding around, too; it wasn't the first time she had acted just as much of a child as Ti'ana. Next to Taabu and Zelda, Nuli was Ti'ana's best companion and partner in crime.

"I may not be able to draw," Ti'ana pointed out, "but I CAN sew."

"This is true," Zelda agreed. "I want you to do the wedding gown. I have Nabooru and Impa doing the bridesmaids dresses."

"Impa sews?" Ti'ana broke out into another giggle fit.

"Yes I sew," Impa's deep voice broke in. "Some of us Sheikah do more than fight and defend, you know."

Zelda started laughing as well. "Nanny Impa sews. Hard to believe, but it's true, it's true."

Impa walked into the room. "We need your opinion, my lady. We've finished one bridesmaid's dress, but there's something wrong with it. Since it's your wedding, we'd like you to help us."

Zelda smiled, then turned to Ti'ana. "I'll see you later." As she walked out, she turned around and pointed her index finger at Ti'ana. "Don't forget to work on the dress! The fate of the wedding is placed on your shoulders, and sewing machine!" Laughing, she whirled around and danced past Impa, who obediently followed close behind.

Ti'ana looked down at the sketch of Zelda's wedding gown, then closed the sketchbook. She thought over the past eight years, and the seven years she endured beforehand. Comparing the two, it was difficult for her to choose which one she enjoyed better. The first seven years was full of action and adventure, and ended happily. The last eight years were not as interesting, basically dull and lifeless. When she turned fifteen, Ti'ana went to live with the Gerudo again, who were much different now that there was no Ganondorf. Sure some were still thieves, but the odd thing was they swore their allegiance to the king of Hyrule, and even vowed to protect him against neighboring countries during times of war.

It took a while for Ti'ana to figure out where she belonged. With the Gerudo or the Kokiri? Certainly, the Kokiri wouldn't appreciate an almost-adult woman living amongst them, even though the Spirit of the Great Deku Tree told her it would be all right if she stayed. Though the Tree was dead, the Great Deku Tree's Spirit still lived in the forest, and within the past year started growing into a sprout. The Gerudo accepted her almost immediately. They didn't remember her ever living with them, but déjà vu played around with their minds until they figured they may as well add another member to their roster.

Nuli flew over Ti'ana's shoulder, facing her. "You know, Ti'ana... If I had to pick between the seven years under the rule of Ganondorf and the eight years after we got sent back.." She paused for dramatic effect. "I would choose Ganondorf."

Startled, Ti'ana almost cried out. "Nuli! We were prisoners under his rule! Sure those years were more lively, but still!" She couldn't think of a better excuse.

If Nuli had expression, she probably would have been beaming. She even glowed brighter. "Yes, but at least you had a fiancé!"

A pair of hands reached around Ti'ana's head and covered her eyes. Someone's cheek pressed against hers. "Guess who?"

Ti'ana smiled as she reached behind her, jabbing at her "attacker's" side. "My love and fiancé, the great Ganondorf?"

"Close enough." He let go of her eyes and twirled her around.

"Oh... It's only you, Taaby."

Taabu made a sarcastic hurt face, which dissolved quickly, and he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "All this talk about weddings has made me feel hungry."

"Oh?" Ti'ana turned around to face him. "The idea of sitting for hours in a temple with nothing to eat bothers you?"

"No, but waiting all those hours knowing that afterwards is a great feasts gnaws at my stomach." He dramatically laid an open palm on his stomach. "So what's the dress look like?" He reached for Ti'ana's sketch pad, lifting the cover open.

Ti'ana quickly shut the book. "No one sees Nuli's beautiful work until the wedding."

"The little fairy designed it, huh?"

"Sister!" Link called from the doorway with his arms opened.

"Brother.." Ti'ana answered unenthusiastically and walked over to Link and quickly embraced him. "What do you need this time?"

"Zelda. We're working on the cathedral and we need a woman's opinion, preferably the bride-to-be. Know where she is?"

Ti'ana shook her head. "She went with Impa to check out the bridesmaids' gowns, but I don't know where. Try the parlor."

"Which one," Link asked nervously. "East or West?"

"Try the West Wing first, it's closer." Link nodded, waved hello-and-good bye to Taabu, then hurried out of the room.

"Thanks!"

Ti'ana shook her head, wondering how on Earth he was her relative. As children, they were simply friends who were outcasted by some of the Kokiri population, and accepted by a few. Ti'ana's only true friends were Saria, Zelda, Ruto and of course, Taabu. Then there was Nuli, but she was more of a tagalong little sister than a friend, but close was there relationship nonetheless.

"Anyway," Taabu broke into the silence, "I came here for a reason, you know. I don't just pop up in unexpected places to annoy people."

"Oh?" Ti'ana smirked. "Well then it had better be good, because I have much work to finish tonight."

Taabu breathed in deeply, and took Ti'ana's hand. He lowered his head, as if he were searching for words. Finally, he spoke: "Ti'ana, we've been friends for.. a really long time. Um.. We never really officially became.. you know, the boyfriend-girlfriend thing? I guess we kind of assumed that after all that happened." He paused. "You did assume that, right?" Ti'ana laughed nervously and nodded. Taabu continued. "Geez I knew I would be bad at this sort of thing when I was younger, twice."

Ti'ana frowned. "Taabu is there a point to this?"

Taabu nodded his head, swallowing. "Yeah, I'm trying to get to it." Slowly, he kneeled down on one knee and sucked in his breath. "Ti'ana, would you do me the pleasure of um..." He stopped, held up a finger, and breathed in again.

Ti'ana figured by now what he was up to, but said nothing except: "Taabu, will you plea.."

Taabu cut in quickly. "Will you marry me?"

**Ti'ana's Song, or Flicka's Song (the 8-note version; can be used as the Scarecrow's Song as well!)**

**A A v , A A v **

**  
*****Copyright Information* The names Link, Epona, Navi, Malon, Talon, Ingo, Saria, Nabooru, Mido, Ganon, Ganondorf, Impa, Dampé, Ruto, Fado, Nayru, Din, Farore, Sheik, Koume, Kotake, Jabu Jabu, TRM, ReDeads, Stalfos, Guays, Zelda, the concept of "Jacques" and all the other Zelda: The Ocarina of Time characters and monsters I missed are copyright Nintendo. All places (Hyrule, Gerudo Valley etc.) are, as well, copyrighted by Nintendo.**

**The names Taabu, Nuli, Flicka, Nikita, Remi, Judit, Zahabu (and the other characters I missed not from Zelda) are copyright... me.**

**Ti'ana is copyright Cyan, Inc. 1996. The name first appeared in the book MYST: The Book of Atrus by Rand and Robyn Miller with David Wingrove. Please respect all copyright information listed above. I am in no way affiliated with Nintendo or any branch of the Nintendo company. I am simply an enthused consumer for over twelve years ;)**

_Ti'ana's Story_**:  
Started: August 14, 1999  
Finished: August 15, 2000**


End file.
